In the Company of Heroes
by PirateColey
Summary: Thorin "Oakenshield" Durin is leader of a superhero team called the Company. When Bilbo Baggins (a mild-mannered executive assistant) comes to them with startling news, Thorin and his team must face their toughest challenge yet. Can The Company defeat S.M.A.U.G. and make the city safe for everyone with powers? ('ships: Bagginshield, Dwori, Nofur). Updates Mon, Wed, and Fri!
1. There Might Be a Problem

**A/N: ****I blame theloneyotakugirl for the idea, and shinyadoll and DJ Sparkles for pointing out that Thorin would look amazing in spandex (and then spending countless hours discussing superpowers with me). This is entirely their fault.**

**Due to popular demand I'll be updating three times a week now: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Chapters will alternate between furthering the plot and background drabbles about the members of the Company and the origins of the powers.**

**Warnings: It's a superhero story. There's violence (and burn injuries). I'll try to add warnings for anything else as we go.**

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"Yes, I've got you scheduled for Monday afternoon at 4:30. Thank you for choosing G-Tech. Yes, ma'am. We'll see you then." Bilbo Baggins dropped the phone back onto the cradle and bit back a sigh. It was already half past one and he hadn't had anything to eat besides the few carrot sticks he managed to sneak between calls. Being an executive assistant at G-Tech had its perks- a good benefits package, decent pay, being linked to a cutting edge corporation... but constantly having to work through his lunch breaks was starting to wear on his nerves (not to mention his waistline).

Bilbo faked a large yawn and leaned back in his chair, peering around the wall of his cubical. The hallway was blissfully clear. Smirking to himself, Bilbo grabbed his lunch sack and that mornings edition of The Daily Portents. Creeping down the hall, he ducked into an empty conference room and settled into a chair by the window. The view from the door was blocked by an oversized fern, so no one would notice him if they happened to glance in.

Congratulating himself on a clean escape, Bilbo took a large bite of his ham sandwich and looked down at the newspaper. _Balrog taken down by the Company and S.M.A.U.G._ read the headline by Ori Rill. Bilbo had to hand it to the reporter, he always made the Supers sound like real people, not the larger-than-life figures the other papers painted. Even though superpowers had been manifesting for almost two generations, they were still novel enough to make the headlines most days. Less than 1% of the population had any sort of unique skills and only a handful of those were powerful enough to be Supers. The Supers were everything a comic book reading child could have dreamed of- brave, and powerful, and wearing a lovely amount of spandex... Bilbo shook his head to derail that particular train of thought. There were people in the world who still thought Supers were unnatural, but Bilbo thought they were wonderful. Like most newspapers The Daily Portents seldom had photographs of the Supers in action, however Ori Rill seemed to be a daft hand at drawing. The sketch that accompanied the article showed Oakenshield, leader of the Company, in all his spandex-clad glory. It was a wonder anyone ever read the articles when the images were so distracting.

Finishing his sandwich, Bilbo skimmed through the rest of the news article. Once again the Supers had saved the day with the help of S.M.A.U.G., the cybernetic robot. Bilbo smiled fondly, the article was a good plug for G-Tech. It was nice to know that something he did helped the Supers. Granted, his part in the running and creation of S.M.A.U.G. was strictly secretarial, but still.

G-Tech was the nations largest cyber-technology firm and a subsidiary of the Gundabad Corporation out of Germany. Their work in robotics was second to none. The 'Super Monitoring Artificial Utility Guide', or S.M.A.U.G. as it was known, was the result of nearly twenty years of research- an AI robot the size of a school bus, whose purpose was to help the Supers track, apprehend, and fight villains. S.M.A.U.G. was efficient and breathtaking- whoever had the idea the shape the robot like a red dragon had been brilliant. Bilbo had been lucky enough to see S.M.A.U.G. in action once- the sun glinting off its metal wings as it soared above the rooftops. It had used its fire breath to incapacitate Azog and Oakenshield's Company had finished him off.

As amazing as S.M.A.U.G. had been, Bilbo had found himself watching Oakenshield more. The man could shift parts of his body into new materials- at that moment he had been pummeling Azog with a fist made of diamond. Sighing, Bilbo shook his head again and pushed his honey curls back from his face. He was far too old to have a crush on a Super. Folding the newspaper closed, he reached into his lunch sack for a cookie, only to freeze as the door to the conference room opened.

"This better be important, Misty. I was in a meeting." The voice belonged to Steven Angmar, CEO of G-Tech.

"This is life threatening! Code red!" replied lead programer Misty North in a hushed voice. They walked further into the conference room. A few more steps and they would see Bilbo behind the fern plant.

Just as he would have been noticed, Bilbo Baggins disappeared.

"What's going on?" asked John Wilderland, Chairman of the Board of Directors. "Why is this meeting so secretive?"

Misty frowned and motioned to the heavyset man beside her. "Barry and I installed an upgrade to S.M.A.U.G. last night. It was a simple firmware upgrade to help the AI make more decisions on it's own..."

"I remember signing off on that upgrade," Steven said. "Was there a problem with the upload?"

Barry Humphries tugged nervously at his prominent chin. "You could say that."

The upgrade did everything is was supposed to do," Misty said flatly. "But someone changed out the end of the code to bypass the fail-safe."

"What does that mean?"

"Our fail-safes are gone," Barry replied. "The AI is programed to follow all directives from us. We've tried to call it back so we can fix the problem, but it's not responding."

Misty took a deep breath. "S.M.A.U.G. has gone rogue."

"How did this happen?" Steven growled.

"I have no idea!" She fumed, throwing up her hands in frustration. "When we checked the code yesterday afternoon, it was prime for upload. None of our key loggers showed anyone accessing the system between last check and the upload. But somehow, someone got in and changed the data!"

"Shit," Steven cursed. "How bad is it?"

"Potentially devastating. S.M.A.U.G.'s AI is revolutionary. Without a fail-safes we have no idea what it's capable of. It could develop consciousness."

"Are you saying we may have created a sentient robot dragon?" John exclaimed with obvious worry. "Fuck! How am I supposed to explain this to the shareholders?"

"You don't," Steven replied evenly. "Not a word of this leaves this conference room."

"People might be in danger!"

"But they might not be. S.M.A.U.G. hasn't done anything out of the ordinary yet. What's the likeliest outcome?"

"S.M.A.U.G.'s prime directive is to protect human life at all costs. Even if it became self-aware, it should still adhere to that code," said Misty after a moment's thought.

Barry agreed, "S.M.A.U.G. shouldn't bother the humans at all. However, it was created to track superpowered villains..."

John's eyes widened in realization. "It might go after the Supers?"

"That's a very real possibility," Misty admitted. "We should warn them."

"No," Steven said firmly. "No one breathes a word of this to anyone. Agreed?"

The others voiced their agreement and after a few more minutes of hasty discussion they left the conference room.

Bilbo reappeared, his whole body trembling with fear and exertion. Sneaking into the now-deserted hallway, he hurried to his cubical to grab his jacket and then rushed for the door. Once on the sidewalk he made a quick mobile call to human resources, claiming to be sick. With a heavy sigh he set his shoulders and began walking east. In the distance Erebor Tower rose above the other skyscrapers on the city skyline.

He had to warn the Supers.

…

In person, Erebor Tower was massive and intimidating. Bilbo stared up at the side of the building, floor upon floor of mirrored glass windows staring back at him. The whole scope of what was happening frightened him, and he felt himself start to vanish as he usually did when afraid. Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, Bilbo rang the bell.

The door opened automatically and Bilbo stepped in without thinking. Looking around in confusion he did the only thing he could think of, which was to follow the lit hallway to where it ended at an elevator. Once inside, the elevator shut on its own accord and Bilbo watched the numbers on the display go up, up, up. At floor 27 the elevator stopped and the door opened. Stepping out, Bilbo found himself in a large open room, furnished with comfortable couches and an abnormally large wooden dining table. A bank of computer monitors covered one wall, while another had floor to ceiling windows that provided a view of the entire city.

Standing in the middle of the room was the leader of the Company- Oakenshield himself. He was clad in a blue spandex bodysuit that hugged every muscle and left very little to the imagination, as well a fur cape that looked impossibly soft. His dark hair was long and streaked with the barest hint of gray, and he wore a neatly trimmed beard over his strong jawline.

"Who are you?"

Bilbo blinked and realized he had been staring. "Er, sorry. I'm Bilbo Baggins."

"Thorin Durin, at your service," Oakenshield- Thorin!- responded. "Is there any particular reason you're interrupting our meal?"

Scanning the room Bilbo realized there were four other people sitting on the couches, with open boxes of pizza on the table between them. A bald man with a dark beard glared at him. He was built like a brick house and covered in tattoos. Another bore a family resemblance to the first, but was a bit older and wearing brown robes. A middle aged brunet woman with a smudge of grease on her cheek offered him a kind smile. The last man was younger, in his late twenties, and wearing a hoodie and thick knitted gloves. "Er, sorry. I didn't mean to... Or rather, I didn't know..."

"Spit it out, lad," the tattooed man growled. He wore thick leather boots over his brown jumpsuit and a criss-crossed bandolier that showed off his heavily sculpted muscles.

"Sorry!" Bilbo pulled himself together. "I work for G-Tech. I'm an executive assistant for the firm. It seems like there might be a problem..."

Thorin raised a brow sharply. "I talked to someone from G-Tech this morning. They didn't mention any sort of problem. S.M.A.U.G. had a routine upgrade done, but it's back in the air doing patrols already."

"Yes, well, that's the problem now, isn't it?" Bilbo fretted his hands together. "The upgrade was tampered with and S.M.A.U.G. no longer has any fail-safes."

"G-Tech didn't say anything about that..."

"They wouldn't. They don't want word to get out about it- bad press and all. No one is supposed to know."

"But you know," Thorin looked skeptical. "If it's a huge secret how does a secretary know about it?"

"I'm an executive assistant, not a secretary!" Bilbo snapped. "And I just do."

Thorin rolled his eyes. "Excuse me, mister executive assistant, but I still see no reason to believe your claim. We get false calls all the time from people seeking attention."

"This isn't a false call! I was just trying to have a quiet minute to myself and I ended up somewhere I shouldn't have been!" He ran his hands through his already disheveled curls. "I can turn invisible, all right?! When the CEO came in I panicked and disappeared. I heard the whole conversation!"

"You can turn invisible." Thorin blinked, clearly not expecting that response.

Bilbo let out a despondent sigh and promptly sat down on the floor. "Nobody is supposed to know that."

The brunet woman stood up and walked over to Bilbo. She wore a blue jumpsuit decorated with a circuit board design and an impressive looking utility belt. "We won't tell anyone, dear. Most everyone around here has powers, so we won't judge. I'm Dís, by the way."

Bilbo looked up at her and managed a weak smile. "I'm really very sorry. This had been a dreadfully unexpected day."

"I'm sure it has." Dís smiled and offered him a hand up. "Why don't you come have a bite to eat and tell us what you overheard."

Nodding, Bilbo accepted the help to his feet and soon found himself sitting in an armchair with a mug of chamomile tea and a slice of pepperoni pizza.

"Now then," Dís said softly. "Introductions, then on to business. You've already met my lovely brother, Thorin, our commander and chief. Please excuse his majesty's rude manners. I'm sure you've seen him and his shifting powers on the news."

As if on cue Thorin flexed his right arm and the skin rippled, flesh giving way to a limb of solid steel. He dropped his fist to the table with a heavy thud before shifting it back to normal with a slight smirk.

"The walking tattoo shop is Dwalin Fundin, our resident bad-ass. You'd be hard-pressed to kill him."

Dwalin growled low in his throat and clenched his hands into tight fists. Metal bars ripped through the skin, forming knuckle-dusters which banded across the back of his hands. The torn flesh immediately began to knit itself back together, leaving the weapons, but no trace of scars.

"Next to Dwalin is his brother Balin, all-around gentleman and our earth-bender."

Balin regarded his teacup regretfully before setting it down on the table. Raising one hand he muttered a spell under his breath and a large stone paperweight sailed across the room. It hovered in the air for a moment before breaking apart into a dozen pieces and reforming into the shape of a bear.

"And the little one there is Ori Rill."

Ori smiled shyly over the spine of the sketchbook he was scribbling in.

"Ori Rill, the reporter from The Daily Portents?" Bilbo asked curiously.

"That's me," Ori replied, clearly pleased to be recognized.

Bilbo grinned. "No wonder your articles are always the best- you actually _know_ the Supers."

"The papers are going to write about Supers. It's too novel a story not to." Ori toyed with the engraved silver pen he was holding . "At least with my writing them, the stories they're printing are mostly true."

"And yer gettin' to use that journalism degree ya worked so hard on." Dwalin added, half to himself.

Ori blushed fiercely. "Both of my brothers are members of the Company. If I'm going to be hanging around here anyway, I might as well be of some use."

"You're not part of the Company yourself?" Bilbo questioned, hoping he wasn't being rude.

"Oh. No." Ori picked absently at his gloves. "I don't have any powers."

"Mittens here is our unofficial mascot," Dís teased, nudging Ori with her shoulder.

The boy frowned. "I get cold easily..."

Thorin interrupted the conversation. "The introductions are done. Let's hear everything you know about S.M.A.U.G. and its alleged rogue status."

So, Bilbo recounted the conversation from the conference room, trying to fill in ever detail he could remember. When he was finished he looked around the room expectantly.

"What do you think, Dís?" Thorin asked, looking over at his sister.

"If the fail-safes were breached, we could have a real problem on our hands." She frowned, clearly concerned. "The central computer for S.M.A.U.G. is a positronic brain. It basically gives the robot a form of consciousness. That's the whole reason the AU can make basic decisions on its own. It's made from platinum and iridium, which is temperature resistant. It's a very interesting design, especially when you factor in the volatile memory..."

"You're getting off topic!" Thorin snapped.

"Oh? Sorry." Dís shrugged and grinned at Bilbo. "Tech is sort of my thing."

"If by sort of you mean she's a bloody genius at it," Thorin muttered. "She makes all of our gadgets and handles the computer system."

"Yup," Dís smirked. "I'm the brain, he's the beauty."

Bilbo clamped his mouth shut to keep from agreeing out loud.

"At any rate, if S.M.A.U.G. goes off the reservation and decides to try to kill us, we'll be hard pressed to stop it. The robot was designed to combat powered villains- it doesn't feel pain and there isn't a lot that can damage it."

"Anything can be damaged if you punch it hard enough," Dwalin snorted, earning a fist-bump from Thorin.

Dís looked skeptical. "I hope for all our sakes that Bilbo's information is wrong."

They ate in silence for a few minutes before Dís tilted her head as if listening to something and then touched the small ax-shaped badge on her chest. "Roger that, Green Team. Bring it in."

Thorin quirked a brow. "Anything to report?"

"Green Team saw nothing out of the ordinary tonight. They'll be back in a few minutes. Red Team is still out doing their patrols."

"You have different teams?" Bilbo asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. "I thought all the Supers here were part of the Company..."

"We are, lad," Balin replied with a kind smile. "But there are fourteen members of the Company. Fifteen if you count Ori. It makes more sense for us to split up to cover more ground."

"And we get more downtime," Dwalin added, stuffing the last bit of pizza crust into his mouth.

Ori rolled his eyes at the larger man, then turned to Bilbo. "The Company consists of three teams- this lot is Blue Team, you'll be meeting Green Team any minute, and then there's Red Team. Everyone is sort of divided up by whose powers or skills work best together. Each team has a fighter and some sort of long range attack. The other members are filled in depending on what the situation calls for. If they're gearing up for a big fight, sometimes two teams will combine, or members will shift from one team to the other."

Bilbo nodded thoughtfully. "That makes quite a lot of sense, actually."

Before the conversation could continue a bell sounded and the elevator doors opened to reveal five men, who were busy chatting companionably amongst themselves.

"Oh, pizza! Awesome!" The youngest man grinned, dropping a bow and quiver on to a table near the elevator, and tugging off his brown leather jacket. "That was the most boring patrol ever. I'm starved!"

"Mind your manners, son," Dís lectured good-naturedly. "We have a guest." Green Team stopped what they were doing and regarded Bilbo curiously.

Nervous under all the scrutiny, he felt himself starting to vanish and had to focus to remain visible. "Yes, er, Bilbo Baggins. Good afternoon."

Thorin's eyes narrowed slightly. "Bilbo appears to go invisible when he's frightened, so play nice."

"Good afternoon! I'm Bofur," said one of the Supers, a man wearing an aviator hat and boasting a rather impressive set of wings. "Obviously, my power is my charmin' personality an' wit."

"Not likely, birdbrain," scoffed a heavily pierced man with an orange mohawk. "He flies. And molts all over the damn sofa. I'm Nori by the way."

An older man wearing a pale blue cape nodded in Bilbo's general direction. "Oin. Healer."

"I'm Kíli!" the archer said brightly, plopping himself down on the couch next to Bilbo. "NP archer extraordinaire!"

"NP?" Bilbo tilted his head curiously. "I don't believe I'm familiar with that term."

"Non-powered hero," supplied the final Super, a young man with blond dreadlocks, carrying enough weaponry to look like a porcupine. "My little brother here is a highly skilled archer. I'm Fíli, polymath."

"Polymath?" he watched the young man add weapon after weapon to the stack on the table.

"Yup. I've got a crazy skill set when it comes to combat perception. I can see any fighting style and mimic it."

"Well, that's certainly useful," Bilbo said after a moment. "I didn't realize there was such a thing as non-powered heroes..."

"There aren't a lot of us," Kíli said, grabbing a slice of pizza and talking around the mouthful. "In the Company it's just me and Nori. And maybe mom."

Bilbo looked over at Dís. "Maybe? You mean you don't know if you're a Super?"

"Nope." She grinned. "Either it's a power or I'm just a genius. It doesn't really matter, does it?"

"It does if S.M.A.U.G. tries to kill you."

The room went instantly silent.

"Why would S.M.A.U.G. try to kill mom?" Fíli questioned softly, breaking the silence.

Thorin heaved a heavy sigh. "The reason Mr. Baggins is here is because he overheard some troublesome news at G-Tech. S.M.A.U.G. may have gone rogue."

"What are we gonna do?" Kíli asked, staring down at his pizza as if it held the answer.

"For now, we're going to monitor S.M.A.U.G. and watch our backs. Otherwise it's business as usual."

The Company returned to their pizza, as if the threat to their lives wasn't worth worrying over. Perhaps it wasn't. After all, they put their lives on the line every day.

"So," Bilbo hedged, feeling awkward in the silence. "How does a NP hero keep from getting seriously injured in a fight?"

"We try not to get noticed," Nori answered, reaching over to nick a peperoni from Bofur's pizza.

"Kíli is an archer, what exactly are your skills then?"

Nori waggled an eyebrow, but didn't respond.

"He's a bloody thief is what he is," Bofur explained, swatting the others hand as he went for another peperoni.

"A thief?" Bilbo regarded the bright orange mohawk doubtingly. "Aren't thieves supposed to look inconspicuous?"

Nori laughed and motioned to his spandex wearing teammates. "I run with this lot. I _am_ inconspicuous."

"Fair enough," Bilbo chuckled. "So, you sneak around and try not to get hurt while the others do their heroics?"

"Pretty much. Also, we usually have Oin with us, just in case Kíli rushes out and does something stupid."

"You mean _when_ Kíli rushes out and does something stupid," Fíli interjected with a smirk. "Because we all know Kíli attracts trouble."

"I do not!" The archer pouted, looking for all the world like a kicked puppy dog. "I don't get in any more trouble than you do!"

"But I've got powers that help keep me alive. When it comes to surviving a fight, I'm superior."

"Yeah, a superior jerk-off!" Kíli snorted. "I don't need powers to be amazing, Fee."

"An amazing pain in my ass!" Fíli reached over and tugged at his brother's dark hair, earning himself an elbow to the ribs in return.

"Boys!" Thorin growled, sounding more amused than truly irritated. "You two need to stop bickering or I'll put you on different teams."

The threat seemed to work, as Fíli and Kíli immediately calmed down and scooted marginally closer together.

"Do you have any siblings, Mr. Boggins?" Fíli asked, grinning as his own brother picked the green olives off a slice of pizza and popped them into his mouth.

"It's Baggins. Just Bilbo is fine, if you would." He shook his head. "And no, I was an only child."

"That's too bad. It's all family here." Bofur tugged on the ear flaps of his hat and offered a dimpled smile. "We've all got sibs, except for Bifur- he's a cousin, but that's close enough."

"Yeah, and half the Company is related to Thorin one way or another." Nori added, propping his boots up on the coffee table.

"Speaking of family..." Dís tipped her head and listened intently. "Roger that Red Team. Engage at will. We'll monitor the situation from here."

"Action?" Thorin asked, already moving towards the bank of computer monitors on the far wall.

"The Gollum is attempting to put a warhead in the water supply." Dís sighed heavily. "Again."

"Didn't you just arrest him yesterday?" Bilbo asked, remembering the newspaper article he'd been reading.

"Yup!" Kíli shrugged, nonplussed. "We put them away, they get out. It's a vicious circle."

The wall of monitors flashed to life, pulling up a series of live-feeds taken from security cameras. On the screen The Gollum paced back and forth along the edge of an aqueduct, muttering to himself. A large mass of explosives was strapped to the dam holding back the water supply. The numbers on the bomb were counting down slowly towards zero.

"You've got eight and a half minutes, Red Team," Dís said into her com link. "Plenty of time."

"They'll have it done in five," Kíli whispered loudly.

"I say six," Fíli replied. They shook hands as if agreeing to a longstanding bet.

"You'll get to see the rest of the Company in action," Ori said, moving to stand between Bilbo and Dwalin at the monitors. "The one in the mulberry jumpsuit is my oldest brother, Dori. He's the strongest Super there is."

Bilbo watched as the man in question easily lifted a car above his head and tossed it at The Gollum. "Impressive."

"The one with the extra arms is Gloin." Ori pointed a gloved finger at the screen, indicating a musclebound redhead with four arms. "He's an amblypygid. Got bit by a radioactive spider in Mirkwood Labs and sprouted a second set of arms."

"Don't ever arm wrestle him," Nori warned. "He's got a crazy pincer grip with those things!"

"The blond is his wife, Loni." Kíli added, waggling his brows in a lewd manner. "She's got super boobs, I mean brain powers."

"Kíli!" Dís shot her youngest son a disproving glare. She looked over at Bilbo and shrugged helplessly. "Excuse him, he's still a teenager."

"It's quite all right. We've all been there, I suppose."

"What Kíli meant to say is that Loni is telepathic. It really comes in handy." Bofur reached around Nori to point at the screen. "The one with the wild hair an' the mask is my cousin Bifur. He's got a sonic scream that's gone a little haywire."

"If by haywire you mean every time he opens his mouth he blasts holes in the walls," Nori muttered, earning a surprisingly dark glare from Bofur. "Sorry, but it's true. Ever since Balrog smashed his head in, he ain't in control of his damn powers."

Bofur sighed and briefly pressed his forehead against Nori's shoulder. "Yer right. That's why Loni is so important. If she's close enough t' use her powers, she can _hear_ what Bifur is thinking an' inform the rest of the team. It's the only way he can talk during a fight. Around here he writes stuff down or uses the bastardized form of sign language we've worked out."

"Can't you make some sort of device to control his powers?" Bilbo wondered out loud.

"I'm working on it, but the tech isn't there yet," Dís said with a frown. "Eventually we'll figure it out. I won't give up on him. For now the mask he wears keeps his jaw shut unless he'd actively trying to use his powers. That way he doesn't accidentally blast anyone while he's sleeping..."

On the screen Bifur directed an attack at The Gollum, sonic waves emanating from behind his mask. The Gollum fell backwards into the aqueduct and was flushed away downstream.

"Looks like Bombur isn't going to see any action tonight," Ori said, gesturing towards a heavyset ginger man on the monitor. "Once he gets moving there is no force on earth strong enough to stop him."

"His fan club ain't gonna like that," Dwalin smirked.

"Excuse me. Did you say fan club?" Bilbo asked with an incredulous look.

"Oh yeah. He's got girls lining up for miles just to have a turn with him."

"Seriously?" Bilbo looked around, trying to determine if he were missing the punchline of an inside joke.

"Totally serious," Fíli laughed. "They call themselves Team Bombur. They're on tumblr. It's a whole big thing."

"Well, that's... unexpected." Bilbo shook his head. "Good for him, I suppose."

"He enjoys himself." Bofur shrugged and glanced downward. "It's kind of difficult t' have an actual relationship when yeh live the way we do..."

"Unless you date another Super or something," Ori added softly, peering sideways at Dwalin.

Bilbo cleared his throat to break the awkwardness of the conversation. "So, Gloin and Loni are married... And the rest of you are single?" He hazarded a glance at Thorin.

"Yup." Kíli looked up at the monitors. "They've got a son named Gimli. He's, what, thirteen now? You'll meet him eventually."

"Meet him?" Bilbo frowned. "Why would I meet him? I'm not planning on staying around here... I just came to bring you the information..."

"But you've got powers! You can be part of the Company... You can't leave!" Kíli all but pouted.

"I'm not a hero! I'm just a normal guy with a quirky ability. And I don't look good in spandex!"

The conversation was interrupted by a bright flash on the screen. Most of the security cameras went out, leaving the monitors undulating black and white static.

Dís was on her com in an instant. "Red Team? What's going on out there? We've lost visuals!" The room was silent save for the white noise from the monitors. "Red Team? Thank god!" As Dís listened to the report her face grew more and more worried. "Roger that, Red Team. Get out of there. Retreat!"

"What happened?" Thorin grabbed his sister's arm and spun her to face him. "Are they okay?"

"There were injuries, I don't know how bad." Dís looked up, her eyes heavy. "Thorin, they were attacked. It was S.M.A.U.G.!"

…

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**A/N: Well, there's our set-up. What do you guys think of the premise? Kudos and comments are some of my very favorite things in the world (second only to Tolkien).**

**Follow me on tumblr, username PirateColey. Everything for this story will be tagged #ItCoH.**

**Rough age breakdown for the sake of this story.**

**Kili- 18**

**Fili- 21**

**Ori- 28**

**Bombur- 30**

**Nori, Bofur- 33**

**Dís, Bilbo- 35**

**Thorin, Dwalin, Gloin, Loni, Bifur- late 30s**

**Dori- 38**

**Oin & Balin- 40s**


	2. Origins: Bilbo

**A/N: Wow! What a great response for the first chapter! Thank you all SO much!**

**Here's the first origin story supplemental chapter, where we find out a little more about Bilbo's past. Enjoy!**

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Origins: Bilbo

…

To whom it may concern,

The Company is going to face a great evil tomorrow and I will be going with them. There is a very real chance that I won't be making it out alive, but as my father always said- 'where there's life there's hope'. If the unfortunate happens, let this letter bear my memory. My name is Bilbo Baggins and this is my story.

I was born in the Shire, a small farming community, and my youth was spent playing amongst the gardens, rolling hills, and walking paths. My mother was Belladonna Took and my father was Bungo Baggins. As far as I know, neither of my parents had powers. But we were from a small-minded town and it wasn't proper to speak of such things. Powers and adventures were the sort of nonsense that happened in the big cities, not in tiny rural places like the Shire.

When I was thirteen years old I worked up the courage to approach Danny Cotton behind the Party Tree. When I tried to get his attention Danny looked right through me, as if I wasn't even there. That was the first time I turned invisible. It wasn't a power that I could turn off and on at will. Instead, whenever I grew embarrassed or fearful I would fade from view. Later in life I gained a good deal more control over it, but as a faunt it happened at the most inopportune times.

I never had the opportunity to tell my parents about my powers. I kept it hidden for most of my teen years, though whether out of fear or shame or desire for privacy I know not. I do believe that my mother would have been pleased- the Tooks were always a more adventurous type. As for my father, I'd like to think he'd have loved me regardless, but I'll never know for sure. Just after my seventeenth birthday they were killed in a boating accident, leaving me alone.

Even though I inherited my family's house I left home soon after the funerals. I wouldn't stand the emptiness, the loneliness. I was always thought to be a bit odd by my neighbors and never felt quite as though I belonged in the Shire. So, I packed up my car and moved to a quaint apartment in the city, where I took a job at a corner coffee shop. It wasn't glamorous, but it was a fresh start in a town where no one knew me. From there I moved from job to job until I was offered the position of an executive assistant at the G-Tech. I was thirty years old and thought I was finally finding my place in the world. I made casual work friends, went on the occasional date, and made enough money to move into a slightly larger flat. G-Tech offered me five blissful years of uneventful life before I overheard something I wasn't meant to. That was where my troubles began.

By now you probably know what became of S.M.A.U.G. and how that unfortunate chain of events played out. All I will say is that I was the one who warned the Company and that over time I was taken into their fold. They have become very dear to me, given me the sense of belonging I haven't had since my parents died. We now know who was behind the attacks and will do our best to end them. No matter what happens tomorrow, know that I do not regret the choices I've made, nor would I change my own fate at the cost of my friends. We are all in this together- for both the sweet and the bitter.

If you are reading this then the worst has happened and I am no more. I will not say do not weep, for not all tears are an evil, but _please_ don't mourn me. If I die, it will be because I was doing what I believe to be the right thing. Because we're all at stake and the world needs saving. All I ask is that my story be shared so that others will know of the deeds of the Company. And of my own very small part in them. I don't want to be forgotten. I don't want to disappear.

At your service,

Bilbo Baggins

PS: If by chance you are reading this and I am still quite alive- shame on you! This is a personal correspondence! Please leave it where you found it and stop poking around where you don't belong! Yes, Kíli, this means you!

...

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**A/N: Well, that letter was a pretty big teaser of what's in store for this story. Bilbo actually doesn't write this letter until around chapter 27. Just a taste of what's in store!**

**Hopefully I'll see you darlings back here on Monday, when we'll find out what happened when S.M.A.U.G. attacked Red Team!**


	3. All I Can Do Is Sit and Wait

**A/N: Warning for a short description of burn injuries.**

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* * *

...

It was two hours after S.M.A.U.G. attacked and Red Team still hadn't made it back to Erebor Tower. Two hours where the waiting members of the Company paced and fretted and worried about their missing friends.

Ori curled into the corner of a blue plaid couch with his knees pulled up to his chest. He stared off in space, oblivious to everything until Dwalin sat down beside him.

"Ya doing okay, lad?" He moved to awkwardly pat Ori's shoulder and suddenly found himself with his arms full. "Oh. There, there...?"

Ori burrowed his face into Dwalin's chest, not crying, but clearly seeking comfort. "Dori's out there. And the others."

"They'll be okay. Yer brother is tough, there ain't much that could stop Dori Rill."

Nodding, Ori looked up and blushed as he suddenly realized whose arms he was in. "You're right. I just hate being stuck here and not knowing."

Dwalin glanced around to see if anyone was watching, then gently stroked a finger over the younger man's cheek. "They'll be fine."

Ori nuzzled against Dwalin's hand and smiled shyly. "I know, but it's always so difficult not to worry when you're all out there fighting and all I can do is sit and wait."

"Ya do more than sit and wait. Ya write those articles for the newspaper that tell people the truth. That's just as important as what we do."

"I guess you're right..." Ori looked down at his gloves and sighed.

Dwalin tucked the younger man under his arm and pulled him close. "Of course I'm right."

...

Across the room, Bofur paced back and forth, his wings twitching in frustration. "I should go out an' look for them.

"If S.M.A.U.G. is attacking Supers, you'd be another target." Nori ducked Bofur's wings as the he turned sharply. "And you'd be helpless against it's flame breath. I don't wanna be the one to tell your brother you got cooked like a roast chicken."

Bofur sighed. "Yer right. But it's my family out there."

"Hey, my brother is with them. You don't think I'm worried?"

"Honestly? I don't think yeh worry about much of anything other than yerself." Bofur clamped a hand over his mouth, his eyes wide. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean that!"

Nori schooled his features into an impassive look. "Yeah, whatever. I'm going for a walk."

"But S.M.A.U.G. is out there!"

"I ain't a Super." Nori turned and briefly met Bofur's eyes. "Don't worry, I can look out for myself. It's what I'm good at, right?"

As the elevator door shut behind Nori, Bofur sunk to the ground and wrapped his wings around himself like a cocoon.

…

"There has to be something else we can do," Thorin fumed. "We can't just sit here and hope they make it back."

Dís kept her gaze on the computer in front of her. "Their coms are dead. I'm trying to patch into other security cameras to find them, but I'm not having any luck."

Thorin leveled a glare across the room at Bilbo. "Why did his information have to be correct..."

"We know how it happened and when it began. At least we've got that. It gives us a place to start or defenses and is better than going in blind."

"I can go out and try to find the others," Kíli suggested, drumming his fingers against the table top. "S.M.A.U.G. isn't tracking NPs."

"Absolutely not." Thorin and Dís said in harsh unison.

"It was just a thought..." He pouted, but let Fíli drag him away.

…

Bilbo sat at the oversized table with Oín and Balin and tried not to feel overwhelmed. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the city began to light up in response to the dark. It was beautiful the way everything glimmered and glowed. "I've never seen the city lit from this high before."

"Hmm?" Balin looked up. "Oh, it's rather pretty isn't it? Sometimes I forget that we even have that view. We're all usually so caught up in whatever heroics are needed at the moment."

"You sound like you don't enjoy being a Super." Bilbo traced a finger along a deep gouge in the tabletop.

"It's not the life I would have chosen." Balin frowned, considering his thoughts for a moment. "Most Supers inherit their powers- develop them around the same time puberty sets in. I was 27 years old with a wife an' a baby on the way. The jeweler I worked for bought an unusual gemstone from overseas an' it was my job to cut an' polish it, so that it could be turned into jewelry an' sold. The second I began to cut into the stone it exploded, embedding particles into my arms." He pushed up the sleeve of his robe to show the tiny pocked scars. "Whatever the stone was, it gave me the ability to control earth."

"What happened to your family?" Bilbo asked softly.

"She couldn't stand the thought of being with a Super. There are a lot of people who still think powers are unnatural." He sighed, rubbing at his ring finger absently. "She left me. I have a child out there somewhere that I've never met."

"I'm so sorry." Bilbo didn't know what else to say.

"It's not your fault, lad. A lot of us have sad origins. Powers aren't always the gifts people think they are." He frowned. "The world outside can be harsh when you're different. It's better now than when we were young, but there's still a long way to go before they accept us in the _real_ world."

"But you're Supers! You save people! You're in the newspapers every day doing heroic things..."

"An' people are fine with us when they need heroics. But the rest of the time they treat us like second rate citizens."

Oín nodded is agreement. "I got my powers young, but never realized them for what they were. It wasn't until I was a third year med student that someone questioned how I was able to heal so many patients that should have died. The minute the school found out I was a Super, they took away my scholarship and wouldn't allow me to finish my degree. Apparently it's perfectly fine for me to heal with my powers during a battle, but it's morally unjust to use them to help people in everyday life."

Bilbo frowned. "But that doesn't make any sense!"

"I've come to learn that not much in life does."

…

After another excruciating hour the elevator bell finally chimed and the door opened.

"Oín! We need you NOW!" Dori shouted as he rushed into the room, Bifur unconscious in his arms.

"What happened?" Bofur struggled to his cousin's side, gasping at the burns that coated the right half of his body.

"S.M.A.U.G. turned on us," Bombur explained. "One minute patrols were fine, the next..."

Gloín cradled his wife close and punched the wall with one of his extra fists. "Bifur was downstream trying to find The Gollum. Loni was linked to him when S.M.A.U.G. attacked. She's been out cold ever since."

"We need to get Bifur taken care of before anything else." Thorin pushed the few dishes off the table and motioned for Dori to lay the injured man down. "Oín? What can we do to help?"

"Not much, I'm afraid." He regarded the wounds with some degree of curiosity. "Trying to wake Loni would be useful, since Bifur here might not be able to sign to tell us what hurts."

The burns on Bifur's side were blistered and cracked, the torn edges of skin blackened at the tips. Oín used a pair of scissors to cut away the black-and-white jumpsuit and frowned slightly. The fabric was melted into the flesh and pulled against the wound as it was exposed. "This is not going to be pleasant- you'd best hold him still. I'll try to keep him unconscious, but it would probably be a good idea to stay away from his face, just in case he uses his powers on accident."

Bombur nodded solemnly and he and Bofur moved to hold their cousin in place.

Oín studied his patient for a long moment before flexing his hands. A soft blue light danced along his fingertips, flickering and pulsing as if it were alive. With surgeon-like precision, he focused his attention on the burnt edge of the wound. As Oín ran a finger along the skin the black edges cauterized and fell away, leaving new pink flesh underneath. The healer took his time, working his way slowly down Bifur's arm, then over his hip and torso. It was well over an hour before every damaged inch was inspected and repaired- skin regrown and nerves reattached.

While Oín worked, Gloín looked after his unconscious wife, pressing a cool compress to her forehead. Loni stirred, her eyes staring up in loose focus. "Gloín?"

"I'm here, baby." He smoothed back her long blond hair.

"Bifur is hurting. S.M.A.U.G..." She struggled to sit up, leaning heavily on one of her husband's arms.

"Oín is with him. We escaped," Gloín said soothingly. "Can you hear Bifur?"

"Yes." Loni's blue eyes filled with tears. "He hurts so much. He wants to scream, but knows he can't."

Gloín steadied his wife as she wavered. "It's okay, baby. Take it easy."

"I was linked with Bifur when S.M.A.U.G. attacked. He was so confused. So scared. I felt the pain along with him." Her voice quaked. "S.M.A.U.G. wants us dead, Gloín. What are we going to do?"

"I don't know, Loni." He pulled her close. "For now, I guess we patch ourselves up and hope for the best."

Oín's brow was speckled with sweat as he carefully used his powers to speed the regrowth of new skin over Bifur's wounds. Most of the Company watched for the safe distance of the couches, trying to give the healer some space. The elevator door chimed and Nori slipped back into the room, unnoticed by everyone except Dori, who looked relieved.

Bifur shifted in pain and struggled for consciousness, his cousins putting their weight into holding him down. While Bombur did most of the restraining, Bofur whispered lilting words into his cousin's ear "Easy, Bif. It's all right. Bombur an' I are here. We won't leave yeh." His voice was soft and thick with emotion. "Don't try t' talk. Just rest an' heal. Please, Bif. We need yeh to be okay... I need yeh..."

"He hears you," Loni said, as Bifur stopped struggling. "He says he's not going anywhere."

Bofur's shoulders sagged in relief and he briefly pressed his forehead against his cousin's. "Rest, Bif. We'll be here when yeh wake up."

…

The Company convened on the plaid couches to plan their next move.

"It seems like Mister Baggin's information was unfortunately correct," Thorin growled. He scowled at Bilbo as if it were his fault the information rang true. "Red Team, this is Bilbo Baggins. He works for G-Tech."

The others nodded their mute greetings and Bombur leaned back into the cushions with a heavy sigh. "We've seen it first hand now. S.M.A.U.G. is most definitely rogue."

"The question is what do we do?" Balin asked, rubbing a tired hand over his eyes.

From a dark corner near the window, Nori spoke up. "I ran into Elrond while I was out. The White Council wants a meeting."

Every head in the room swiveled towards the shadows. Bilbo racked his brain as to why the name sounded familiar. "The White Council?"

"Another group of Supers," Ori supplied. "They normally keep to themselves and work under the radar. Most people don't even know they exist."

"Which is why it's surprising they want to meet." Thorin glared into the distance. "I don't trust them. They're meddlesome at best."

"But we're going to aren't we, Uncle Thorin?" Fíli half-asked. "Because they might know something we don't."

"And we have to do _something,_" Kíli finished for his brother.

"S.M.A.U.G. is comin' after us. It hurt Bifur. We have t' take any help we can get t' end this." Bofur's lilting voice was uncharacteristically hard.

"That's why I hurried back after I talked to Elrond." Nori sat down beside Bofur and offered him an apologetic half-smile. "I don't want anyone else getting hurt."

Thorin cursed under his breath. "I don't like it, but you're right. When is this meeting, Nori?"

"6 AM at the gazebo in Rivendell Park."

"Then it's settled. Blue Team will go to the meeting." Thorin pondered a moment. "We'll take Nori as well. It might be advantageous to have someone observing from the shadows."

"All right, you lot. I think it's time everyone gets some sleep." Dís pulled her youngest son to his feet. "It's been a rough night and tomorrow might not be any better."

Bilbo stood and fretted his hands together. "What should I do?"

Thorin blinked at the smaller man, as if he'd forgotten Bilbo was even there.

"You should go home. This life ain't for someone who can neither fight nor fend for himself," Dwalin said with a shrug.

Ori huffed, his eyes flashing. "You let me stay!"

"Yes, but you..." Dwalin trailed off, looking atypically abashed.

"If S.M.A.U.G. is going after people with powers, Bilbo would be safer here with us than on his own. Erebor Tower is shielded against just about everything."

"I think Ori is right," Thorin said after a moment. "You should stay here, at least for tonight. After we talk to the White Council we can decide what would be best for you."

Bilbo sighed in resignation. "I do suppose you're right. I don't fancy walking home when an evil robot dragon might be waiting in the darkness to eat me."

Ori grinned. "I'll show you to the guest room and get you settled." He grabbed Bilbo's arm and led him down the hall, neither noticing the dark looks they received from Dwalin.

...

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**A/N: I hope you guys liked the new chapter! Our first 'ship is starting to set sail and you've now officially met everyone in the Company.**

**Stay tuned Thursday to find out about the origins of Thorin's powers and how the Company was formed. **

**And please leave me some favorites/feedback/follows to let me know if you liked the chapter. And if you didn't, let me know why- I'm always looking to improve. :)**


	4. Origins: Thorin

Origins: Thorin

…

Breakfast in Erebor Tower was a lively affair. With three sets of patrols running, as well as the occasional villain attack, it was seldom that the entire Company was in the same place at the same time. But shifts were always scheduled around one overlapping point- breakfast. Short of a city-wide disaster, there wasn't much that could keep the Company from a merry gathering at the table every morning. Most days it was coffee and toast and cereal, eaten hurriedly before rushing off to wherever they were needed most. On days when the city was silent, or there were important plans to be made, the tiny kitchen would bustle with activity as the table became laden with food. The Company was family- they nicked food off each others plates, reached across the table, and shouted conversations between mouthfuls.

During a rare moment of relative silence, Bilbo built up the courage to voice a question. "How did the Company form?"

Balin paused, tea cup half way to his lips. "That's a fair question, lad. Am I to assume you know Thorin's origin story?"

Bilbo nodded. The Daily Portents often used Oakenshield as an example to show people that Supers were not to be feared. Thorin Durin had manifested his powers at a young age when he stepped between a bully and his intended target, and blocked the punch with an arm that shifted to solid oak. As an adult the name Oakenshield became synonymous with defending the city and defeating evil. The newspapers wrote him as the model Super and now Bilbo wondered how many of those articles had been written by Ori.

Balin sipped his tea before continuing. "Thorin an' Dwalin were friends long before their powers developed, an' as Dwalin's brother I was privy to many of their conversations. Thorin wanted to break the stereotypes of powers being unnatural an' feared. He wanted to use his abilities to do good in the world. By the time they graduated high school I had my own powers an' when Thorin proposed starting a team of Supers there was no question that we would see it done. Even at such a young age Thorin inspired loyalty. I thought- there is one I could follow..."

Around the table every member of the Company nodded in turn. For his part, Thorin looked intently at his plate and seemed equal parts embarrassed and proud.

"What of the rest of you?" Bilbo pressed, curious to hear more of the story. "Where do you lot come in?"

Bofur picked up the story with a dimpled grin. "They were looking for a few more members, but yeh can't very well go advertising that kind of thing. I was a few years behind Thorin an' Dwalin in school. It was pretty obvious that I had powers..." He shifted his wings for emphasis. "I brought Nori with me when I joined. Powered or not, I wasn't going t' leave my best friend behind."

Nori hid a smile behind his coffee cup. "Dori was in a bit of a tight spot at the time and joining the Company offered him a good way out. And of course where we go, little Ori goes." The young man in question rolled his eyes.

"Bifur and I followed soon after," Bombur added, reaching for another pancake. "It was nice to be a part of something worthwhile."

Loni nodded. "I found out about the Company through the family connection. It was before Gloín gained his powers in the accident, but it was important to me so he came anyway." She reached over and squeezed one of her husband's hands. "Oín followed us here, but not until a few years later. He was the last one to join the Company."

"My husband Grár and I came back home just after Fíli was born. The boys were raised in the Company." Dís smiled fondly at her sons. "Thorin and I had a brother, Frerin... He joined right before I did..."

Bilbo saw the dark look pass over Thorin's face at the mention of his brother and decided not to question it. "So, you just fell together then, quite like the pieces in a jigsaw puzzle. I'll admit that I've been rather curious about it, since you all are different ages and seem to be from different backgrounds. I know you said some of you are distantly related, but..."

"Thorin always had a knack for picking up strays," Dís teased softly. "As a child he kept bringing home orphaned birds and kittens. He thought he could save them all." She offered her brother a small, sad smile. "None of us belong in the _real_ world. We're all freaks in our own way. Being a part of this team gives us a chance to do some good. In the Company we've found a family. A home.

Bilbo feigned interest in his bacon and let himself wonder, just for a moment, what it would be like to belong.

...

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**A/N: And that's how the Company was formed. Hopefully I'll see you guys back here on Monday where our heroes have meet up with the White Council and have their first on-screen encounter with S.M.A.U.G.!**


	5. Welcome to the Company

**A/N: Thanks again for all the lovely comments. I seriously have the most amazing regular readers in the whole entire world! **

**Warnings for violence (specifically by fire) and minor (for this story) character death.**

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Dawn came quickly and by 6 AM Blue Team was waiting in Rivendell Park and the rest of the Company was watching from the safety of Erebor Tower. Before leaving, Dís had tapped into the park security cameras and outfitted her team with microphones. The others would be able to see and hear everything that went on at the meeting.

Bilbo found himself sitting between Ori and Bofur as they watched the grainy footage on the computer screens. Thorin and Dwalin stood back-to-back near the gazebo, turning slightly so that they could survey the entire area and watch for attacks. Beside them, Balin and Dís were engaged in a quiet conversation, their hands over their microphones so the words wouldn't get picked up. Somewhere in the shadows Nori crept out of sight, though his snarky comments came through the speakers loud and clear.

"I really hope the White Council can help," said Bofur, coming back to the monitors after checking on the still unconscious Bifur. "I don't think we can fight S.M.A.U.G. on our own."

"Are these White Council members quite powerful?" Bilbo asked.

"Some of them are, for sure." Fíli glanced over at his brother and grinned. "Others, not so much..."

Kíli mirrored the smirk. "Like Radigast, the bird whisperer. Seriously- when is being able to talk to small animals ever going to be useful?"

"A bird could deliver a message easy enough," Ori pointed out quietly. "I think it's actually a rather lovely power to have."

"You would think that," Kíli laughed outright. "Our quiet little Mittens couldn't hurt a fly."

Ori clenched his jaw, clearly offended. "That's not true."

"Isn't it?" Kíli cocked a brow. "Don't get me wrong, you're great at what you do. Your stories in the paper are always the best. But you'd be next to useless in a fight."

"That's enough!" Dori snapped, picking Kíli up by the scruff of his neck and tossing him bodily at the nearest couch. "Ori would do just fine in a fight. Though I think it's better for everyone that he stays out of danger."

Ori shifted in his chair and plucking at a fraying bit of yarn on his gloves. "It's fine, Dori. Kíli's right, I'm not cut out for fighting. I think you just proved that by throwing him across the room for picking on me."

The room filled with an awkward silence that Bilbo couldn't stand and broke softly. "What about the other members of the White Council? What can they do?"

Gloín drummed three sets of fingers against the arm of his chair. "Well, Elrond is the leader and he can heal just about anything. Like Oín, only more..."

"Stuck up?" Fíli supplied.

"Yeah, we'll go with that." Gloín grinned. "He can heal plants as well, which would be mildly useful if you were a gardener."

"Then there's Galadriel, who is telepathic and telekinetic. She can read minds, influence people, and make things float."

"She's also a mega-hottie!" said Kíli, returning from the couch. Fíli smirked at his brother and nodded his agreement.

Gloín sighed as Loni smacked both boys upside the backs of their heads. "Watch what you say, boys, I think Galadriel would scramble your brains and make you wet yourselves if she heard you talking like that."

"Head's up guys," Bombur spoke into his com unit. "White Council members are heading your way from the west."

On the screen, all of Blue Team turned to watch for the new arrivals, except for Dwalin who kept vigilant watch behind them. Four men and a woman walked into view, greeting Thorin and his team from a respectable distance.

"The one in the front is Elrond," Oín said, gesturing to a tall man with long dark hair and a stately countenance.

Standing beside Elrond was the woman, Galadriel, who wore sheer white robes and what appeared to be a glittery white halter top. "How does her shirt even stay up?" Fíli muttered under his breath.

"Well, she _is_ telekinetic..." Bombur supplied with a grin, as if they'd had that particular conversation many times before.

"The man in the white in Saruman, he has some sort of wizard powers, though I don't know anyone who has actually seen him use them." Oín went on, clearly ignoring the others banter. "The one in the gray is Gandalf. He's a wizard too, though not a very effective one."

"Oh?" Bilbo raised a brow. "I would think wizard powers would be helpful."

Ori laughed. "From what I've seen, he tends to wander in mid-fight, cast one useful spell, then yell at everyone to run away. He's a pretty decent fighter with his staff though..."

The man in question stepped forward, leaning heavily on his staff, and offered his hand to Thorin in greeting.

"What about the last man?" Bilbo questioned, pointing at an annoyed looking man with silvery hair and a crown of branches that looked suspiciously like antlers. He glared at Thorin with derision, a look that was returned threefold.

"That's Thranduil. He's..." Ori trailed off.

"A total wanker," Nori's voice said over the com unit. "Shape-shifts into a bloody moose."

"I think it's more an elk," Bofur chuckled. "I didn't know yeh were listening in, thief. Figured ya'd be too busy sneakin' around down there."

"The park is empty. At least you lot are more interesting than listening to Dwalin bitch about the 5 AM wake-up call."

On the screen, Dwalin's head jerked up and he glared around menacingly. "Don't think I didn't hear that," he muttered under his breath.

"Okay boys, let's focus here," Dori said with a roll of his eyes. "This meeting is actually important."

Thorin took a step forward, shifting his arm to its trademark oak before finally accepting Gandalf's handshake. "It's been a long time, wizard. I was beginning to wonder if you were still in business."

"Where else would I be?" Gandalf replied with a raised brow. "Though, I think we have more pressing things at hand than mere pleasantries."

"True enough," Elrond said levelly. "We heard that one of your team was attacked by S.M.A.U.G. last night."

"He was. Luckily our healer got to him in time. We expect him to make a full recovery." Thorin said tersely.

Saruman frowned deeply. "That's good to hear, though I must ask... Are you sure your injured teammate did nothing to incur S.M.A.U.G.'s wrath?"

"Are you suggesting that Bifur is a villain?" Thorin all but growled. "Never!"

Dís stepped in and placed a hand on her brother's shoulder. "We all witnessed the attack on our monitors. S.M.A.U.G. appears to be going after anyone with powers."

Elrond sighed. "That's what we were afraid of. Now the question is, what is there to be done about it?"

"I've gone over everything I know about S.M.A.U.G.'s tech. Without seeing the code that removed the fail-safes, we have no way of knowing what actually happened." Dís chewed on her lip. "The robot was designed to withstand attacks from powered villains, I don't see how Supers are going to stand any better chance."

Galadriel smiled softly. "We interact very little with S.M.A.U.G. ourselves, so I'm not sure what help we can give you."

Elrond nodded in solemn agreement. "If we learn anything useful we will let you know, but otherwise this will have to be your task. We will not willingly put ourselves in S.M.A.U.G.'s path."

"Ya mean ya ain't gonna help us." Dwalin growled, turning for the first time to face the White Council. "Should of figured that."

"I don't agree with my colleagues," Gandalf said slowly. "I will help you where I can. I believe this battle against S.M.A.U.G. will greatly affect us all."

Thorin nodded. "Many thanks, wizard. It's good to know that one among you is willing to fight for the greater good. After all, isn't that what being a Super is supposed to be about?"

Elrond looked deeply put out and opened his mouth to respond when Dís raised a hand to hush him and listened intently to her earpiece. "We've got incoming! Nori has eyes on Balrog and at least a dozen of the Great Goblin's minions."

Blue Team moved into defensive position- Thorin and Dwalin back-to-back with Balin and Dís beside them. Thorin shifted his arms so both were solid steel and clanked his fists together with a resounding thud. Dwalin growled as his knuckle-dusters extended through the flesh of his hands, the skin knitting back together quickly. For his part, Balin peered intently around the park, taking stock of what resources he would have to work with. He muttered a quick spell and a large outcropping of rocks sprung out of the ground in front of him, offering a shield-like protection from attacks. Dís reached into her belt and removed a cylindrical handle, fiddling with the dial for a moment before a plasma blade protracted from it.

The White Council seemed much less prepared for combat. While Gandalf readied his staff, Elrond and Galadriel locked eyes and had a silent exchange. Saruman looked at them, cursed loudly, then took off across the park. Thranduil watched him go with a jeering smirk, then shape-shifted into an impossibly large elk.

Balrog broke through the trees with a loud battle cry. He stood almost seven feet tall and was wreathed in fired, a result of the holocaust cloak he was wearing and not any actual powers. In his hand was a thick fire whip, which he cracked menacingly above his head. "The White Council and the Company together at last? Well, isn't this a sweet story for the papers. Too bad for you it'll be in the obituary section!"

With that the fight started. Thorin leaped forward, blocking the first blow of Balrog's fire whip with his left arm while punching the villain square in the face with his right fist. Dwalin squared off against two of the Great Goblin's minions, NP villains with significant fighting prowess who wore grotesque masks to obscure their faces. The first minion fought with a spiked club and landed a hard blow on Dwalin's leg, tearing at the flesh and tendons and sending the big man down. The second minion raised his bat, but the blow never fell as his arm was severed by Dís' plasma blade. Dwalin's leg healed itself and in seconds he was on his feet again, slamming his knuckle-dusters into the minion's face. Balin sat atop his rock wall looking serene and focused. Around him, dozens of fist-sized rocks twirled through the air, shooting down to hit the heads of whichever minions were closest. Nori crept out of the shadows, a large pipe in one hand. He darted into the outskirts of the fight, laying into one of the minions with his pipe, then dropping a smoke bomb and disappearing again.

The White Council had their own group of minions to deal with. Gandalf fought two off with his staff, his gray robes fluttering around his body as he moved. Galadriel had one hand to her forehead, the other in front of her, as she held a small group of villains at bay with a psychic shield. Elrond swung a tree branch, connecting hard against the torso of a man stupid enough to underestimate the healer. Thranduil did well in his elk form, slamming his hooves down on the minion's feet and goring at them with his bloody horns.

The Company had fought Balrog several times before and the Great Goblin's minions were never much of a challenge. Together with the White Council, the fight was quickly under control and looked to be wrapping up without too much trouble. Without warning, a darkness settled over the sky, as if something large was moving in to block out the sun.

"It's S.M.A.U.G.!" Nori screamed, racing back out towards his friends. "It's S.M.A.U.G.!"

Everyone, Supers and villains alike, turned to look into the sky. S.M.A.U.G. landed heavily on the ground a few yards from the gazebo, its metal wings flashing in the sunlight. "We are here to end the power threat. Please to surrender without struggle. Violators will be damaged." Its robotic voice sounded through the speakers on its neck. "Do not resist. We will protect the humans at all the cost."

"We need to get out of here NOW!" Thorin shouted, pushing Balrog away and backing up towards his team. "Blue Team retreat! Go!"

S.M.A.U.G. turned its metal head and regarded them through its optic sensors. "Please to surrender without struggle. Repeat, please to surrender without struggle."

Balrog lashed out with his whip at Thorin, but Gandalf blocked the blow with his staff. "I'll hold them off! Run!" Balrog's whip caught the wizard around his arm and pulled him to the ground. They grappled, throwing punches and insults as the White Council raced off across the park.

"We're not going to leave you!" Thorin yelled, starting towards Gandalf.

"Yes you are! You need to figure out how to stop this!"

S.M.A.U.G. spun its head towards where Gandalf and Balrog were struggling and opened its metal maw. "You did not surrender. We will suffer you damage."

Gandalf managed to break free of Balrog and throw up his staff. "Fly, you fools!" The staff hit the ground and a large beam of light shot at S.M.A.U.G.'s head, rendering it temporarily blind.

"We are here to end the power threat. You have attempted to damage our sensors. You have failed. We will suffer you damage." A pillar of flame burst forth from S.M.A.U.G.'s mouth and engulfed Balrog. Out of the fire, Balrog's whip shot out and wrapped around Gandalf's leg, pulling him back into the pyre.

Dual screams could be heard over the crackling flames, but Thorin wasted no more time. "Blue Team retreat! RUN!"

Before S.M.A.U.G. finished its flame attack, the Company was across the park, racing off towards the retaliative safety of Erebor Tower. Only Nori remained behind, hidden in the shadows, to observe the carnage.

…

Back in Erebor Tower Blue Team reconvened and let Oín treat their wounds. Thorin had several nasty burns from Balrog's whip and Dís sported a black eye and some minor scratches. Balin was uninjured, but extremely tired from the extended use of his power. Dwalin's injuries had healed up on their own, but that didn't stop Ori from shyly checking to be sure he was all right.

"Where's Nori?" Bofur glanced around, half-expecting to see the thief step out of the shadows.

Thorin frowned. "He stayed behind to monitor the situation. He's a NP, so S.M.A.U.G. should leave him alone."

"Should?! What if it doesn't? What if it attacks him an' he's out there with no back-up?"

Dori placed a hand on Bofur's arm, though he looked worried himself. "Nori is nothing if not self-reliant. He'll be fine."

"He shouldn't have t' be self-reliant. We're part of a team." Bofur sighed, but seemed to calm down. "It's just with S.M.A.U.G. out there... Bifur still hasn't woken up..."

"I know." Dori smiled deliberately. "And I'm glad Nori has someone else worrying about him besides his brothers. He needs that."

The elevator chimed and the door opened, revealing a grim-looking Nori. "Were you all talking about me?" He joked halfheartedly. "My ears were ringing."

"Something like that." Bofur said, regarding the thief hesitantly. "What happened out there?"

"Gandalf is dead. Balrog too. When S.M.A.U.G. stopped vomiting fire on their corpses there was nothing left but a pile of ash."

"Shit." Dís cursed, a deep frown line forming between her brows. "That makes things a hundred times worse."

"Why is that?" Bilbo asked. "We already knew S.M.A.U.G. was rogue..."

"Because of Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics." Dís explained, "There are three things all AI robots are programed to do. It's in the very base layer of their coding and are the underlying ethical worldview that determines their actions. The first law is that a robot cannot kill a human."

"And S.M.A.U.G. just killed Gandalf," Thorin growled. "Which either means it doesn't think Supers are human, or that it's ignoring the laws."

Dís nodded slowly. "Exactly. The second law is that a robot has to obey all orders given by its masters. The conversation that Bilbo overheard tells us that S.M.A.U.G. isn't listening to its creators."

"What's the third law?" Bilbo wasn't sure he really wanted to know the answer.

"A robot must protect its own existence, as long as doing do doesn't go against one of the other laws. Which means S.M.A.U.G. isn't going to be happy when we try and destroy it."

"Well, I'm quite certain that not many things really want to be killed... Robot dragon or not." He shrugged.

"You don't understand!" Dís fumed, running a hand through her dark hair in frustration. "The three laws are an inalienable part of the mathematical foundation underlying the positronic brain! Without the basic theory of the three laws, the AI brain unit shouldn't even be workable!"

"What exactly are you saying, Dís? In English, please," Thorin said worriedly.

"What I'm saying is that I think S.M.A.U.G. is becoming self-aware. It knows what it's doing and making decisions independent of its programing." She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "I need to see the code that took down S.M.A.U.G.'s fail-safes. If I can see what was done, maybe I can reverse it."

Thorin nodded. "All right. We can work with that. At least we have a goal." He looked around, his eyes falling on Bilbo. "You! You work for G-Tech! You're a secretary there!"

"Executive assistant," Bilbo corrected automatically. "But yes... And I do need to get back to work. I've called in sick two days now and that isn't going to look good in my personnel file."

"You'd keep working for the company that created S.M.A.U.G., even when it's trying to kill us all?"

"S.M.A.U.G. was a great idea in theory..." He shrugged nervously. "If it hadn't been hacked, no one would have been hurt."

"But they were hurt!" Thorin raged, the veins on his forehead pulsing. "Gandalf is _dead_!"

"I know!" Bilbo all-but shrieked, his voice quavering. "But I'm not a Super! I _need_ to keep my job so I can afford to pay my bills. I'm not like you- I'm not a hero! I'm nobody..."

The room had gone instantly silent at the sound of yelling. The only sounds were the awkward shuffling of bodies as the Company vied for a better view of the argument.

"You're not nobody." Thorin's voice went soft. "You have something to offer. Something outside of being a secretary -_executive assistant_- for G-Tech."

Bilbo looked at the other man, really looked, and for the first time he saw past the skin-tight spandex and superpowers. Thorin looked tired. He looked like a man who carried the weight of the world on his shoulders and didn't know how to ask for help. He looked like a man who had lost so much that he didn't realize there was nothing left to give.

Thorin sighed, his eyes heavy and honest. "Everyone on this planet is important. You just need to find what your purpose is."

"I do believe that for now, my purpose is to get that code," Bilbo said before he could think better of it. "Though, I suppose you'll have to tell me what I'm looking for."

"You're willing to help us defeat S.M.A.U.G.?" Thorin asked, skeptical, but hopeful. "Even though you say you aren't a hero and we can't guarantee your safety?"

"Whatever it takes. I want to put this whole unfortunate situation behind me so everything can go back to normal and I can stop being scared."

Thorin nodded slowly. "All right then. Welcome to the Company, Master Baggins."

...

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**A/N: The plot thickens! What did you think of S.M.A.U.G. in action? And the White Council? The Company certainly has their work cut out for them...**

**Reader poll: Do you guys like the twice-a-week updates, or would you rather I do them three times a week (Mon, Wed, Fri)? With as long as this story is I don't want to draw it out too much and have you guys loose interest. On the other hand, I don't want to rush things. So... I'm leaving it up to you guys- please let me know what you think. :)**


	6. Origins: Bofur

**A/N: The general consensus is that you guys want three updates a week... So, here we go! New update days are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.**

**Warning for... well, we'll call it self-harm just to be safe, but it's really not much of anything. I'd rather be overly cautious on the warnings then post something upsetting.**

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Origins: Bofur

…

Bofur shifted at his school desk and cringed as the sharp jolt of pain along his shoulder blades. _I probably pulled somethin' wrestlin' with Bombur last night. It's no fair that I'm so much lighter than he is!_ A glare from the teacher stilled his movements, but the pull at his skin persisted, making it impossible to focus on the biology lesson. _Not like we're learnin' anything useful. What kind of 14-year-old cares about bird anatomy? A freak, that's who._ A few kids in the front row of desks were taking diligent notes, but the rest of the class looked bored. At least no one would notice his uncomfortable twitching.

The school bell rang, _Finally!_ And Bofur rushed into the hall and past the other kids. Usually he'd hang around with his friends before walking home, but the pain in his shoulders was getting worse. _Maybe I'm gettin' sick an' can stay home from school tomorrow..._

Bofur used his key to get into the house and frowned at the silence. Bombur wouldn't be home from his elementary school for a few more hours, but their mom... _Oh yeah, she's workin'. Tonight's a Bifur night._ His cousin was older and cool. Hopefully he'd know what to do about the strange pain.

His t-shirt felt sticky against his back, like sweat even though it wasn't hot outside. Going into the bathroom Bofur twisted around to look in the mirror. _Is that blood? Why am I bleeding?!_ He pulled his shirt off, balling it on the floor, and stared in horror at his back. The flesh on his shoulder blades was pulled away, a thin bone-like protrusion forcing itself out through the skin, covered in _Feathers? Are those feathers?!_ He grabbed one and pulled, crying out in pain as the shaft came loose in his hand. Clutching the bloody feather, he sat down on the tile floor and cried. _What's happenin' t' me?_

...

Bifur came into the house half an hour later and was met with the quiet sounds of crying. He rushed to the bathroom where he found Bofur surrounded by broken feathers, with a large expanse of mangled wing extending out of his shoulder blades. "Bofur?"

"They won't go away. I keep pullin' out the feathers, but they won't go away." His voice sounded small and far away.

"Holy shit, kid! What did ya do?" He knelt and scooped his cousin up, marveling at how light the boy was. "C'mon now, it's okay."

Bifur's spindly wings shot out as he was moved. "No it's not! I'm a freak!"

"You're not a freak. I guess powers run in our family." Bifur managed a tight smile as he sat Bofur on the edge of the bathtub. "You're growing wings, kid. And a pretty awesome set, if ya ask me."

"Yeh think they're awesome?" He peered up at his cousin, his eyes wide.

"Totally! I'll bet once they come in all the way that you'll be able to fly with 'em too!"

Bofur's cheeks dimpled in a slight smile. "Really? That would be cool..."

"Yup! Ya just gotta promise me you'll stop plucking them. Okay, kid?"

He looked up from his perch and nodded. "I promise."

"Good." Bifur glanced down at the bloody feathers that littered the floor. "We should clean up before your mom gets home. Explaining the wings will be hard enough, she don't need to know 'bout the rest of this."

"Do you think she'll make me go back t' school? I don't think I can hide these. The other kids will think I'm a freak."

"I told ya, you're not a freak!" Bifur's voice was firm. "Ya gotta trust me. Everything's gonna be fine."

Bofur looked down and shrugged, his wings ruffling as his shoulders flexed. "I'm scared, Bifur."

"I know, kid." He ruffled his cousin's messy hair. "But you'll be okay. I'm not going anywhere."

...

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**A/N: See you Friday for the next plot chapter!**


	7. Worth the Cost

**A/N: Warning: conversations about past character death.**

* * *

…

Dís spent the rest of the afternoon and well into the early evening modifying a flash drive and teaching Bilbo how to use it. Once he found the correct computer he would be able to use the drive to wirelessly transfer all of the information back to Dís in Erebor Tower. So long as he took the flash drive with him when he left, there would be no way to trace it back to the Company. In fact, if things went according to plan, there was no need to G-Tech to ever know anything had been taken. The trouble with the plan came when they tried to suss out exactly how Bilbo would get into the server room.

"I'm an executive assistant. I have keys to the building, but that doesn't mean I can go wherever I please. They'll get suspicious if I walk into the programmers room."

"Can't you just turn invisible?" Bombur asked, stroking his mustache thoughtfully. "They can't be suspicious if they don't know yer there."

"Yes, well, you see..." Bilbo flushed slightly, the tips of his ears turning pink. "My quirk – power – isn't really very reliable. It doesn't always work when I want it to. I could probably get in unseen, but the minute I had to pick something up, or focus on the task at hand, there's quite a real chance that I'd reappear."

"Tell me, Bilbo, do you think you can do this?" Thorin stared at him intently. "You do realize that should you get caught, I cannot guarantee we'll be able to come to your aid."

Bilbo frowned, feeling a bit like he was being thrown under a moving bus. "You can't risk anyone knowing the Company is involved. I understand that. If I get caught, then I will tell them that my actions were mine and mine alone."

"I hate to say it, but the lad isn't trained," Balin pointed out. "He's hardly burglar material, yet we're sending him in to steal the data."

"What choice do you have?" Bilbo huffed. "I'm the only one who can even walk through the door without drawing attention to myself. You _need_ that information! I'm sure I can do this."

"We can't come in with you," Thorin pointed out. "If a team of Supers showed up at G-Tech they'd know something was afoot. With S.M.A.U.G. out there you can't go alone though, so I'll take Blue Team and we'll wait a few blocks away, just in case."

"That makes me feel a little better about this," Bilbo said with a small sigh of relief that Thorin wasn't expecting him to fend completely for himself. "But that still doesn't help me get into the server room."

"That's where I come in," Ori spoke up, digging into his satchel and pulling out his press pass. "There were witnesses to S.M.A.U.G. attacking Gandalf. It'll be all over the papers tomorrow. I sent in my article to The Daily Portents and they made me edit to to say that Balrog was the intended target and that Gandalf simply got caught in the crossfire. One big, ugly mistake."

"Balrog ain't even a superpowered villain- S.M.A.U.G. was going after Gandalf!" Dwalin growled, "They made ya lie in the article to cover up what happened?"

"There's concern of a wide-spread panic if the public finds out S.M.A.U.G. is rogue." Ori picked at his gloves, his voice dropping sullenly. "I didn't have much of a choice."

"Ya could have told them to shove it! I'm sure there's a paper out there that would let ya print the truth!"

"Not likely. Most of the newspapers in the city are owned by the same conglomerate. If you don't tailor your articles to suit their needs then you won't be working much longer. The only reason I've been able to get away with as much as I have is because I actually _know _you guys. I've been really lucky with what they've allowed me to print_."_

"Ya should quit then. They ain't appreciating ya like they should," Dwalin said, as if it were an obvious solution.

Ori shrugged. "Like Bilbo said earlier- I'm not a Super. I need to keep my day job."

"Ya don't need to work. There's more than enough money floatin' around here to keep ya content."

"I'm _not_ the Company's pet!" Ori snapped, his eyes flashing. "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself! I can make my own way!"

Dwalin jumped back in surprise. "Of course ya can. I didn't mean that..." He frowned, seeing no way to easily salvage the situation. "I'm sorry."

"You should be." The room filled with an awkward, shuffling silence. "Back to the task at hand, I can go into G-Tech and cause a scene. Demand to talk to the programmers, the CEO... I can start throwing around facts and as a last resort I can even show them the pictures I have from the attack. If they think that I might actually expose the trouble they're having with S.M.A.U.G. they might talk to me."

"If you're trying to expose them, mightn't they see you as a threat?" Bilbo worried out loud. "I don't want you to get hurt trying to help me."

"I doubt they'd try anything physical. Most likely they'd offer to pay me off to keep quiet. If nothing else, it would be a distraction that might let you sneak into the server room."

Thorin considered the plan for a moment before speaking. "That just might work. Good thinking, Ori."

"Thank you, sir," Ori replied with a pleased flush. "I won't let you all down."

"I know you won't. Now, everyone should get some sleep. We'll have to be up early to get Blue Team into position."

…

Even though he was exhausted, the worry and stress kept Bilbo awake long after the Company turned in for the night. After tossing and turning for an hour he finally gave up and left the comfort of his borrowed bed, going back into the main room and settling in a chair by the windows.

"Couldn't sleep?"

Bilbo jumped and started to vanish, but stopped himself as he recognized Thorin's voice. "Sorry... I seem to be a little edgy tonight."

Thorin stepped out of the shadows and took the seat next to Bilbo. "I'm afraid too, you know."

"You don't act it." He stared out the window.

"That's because I'm the leader. They all expect me to be strong."

"I don't think fear makes you weak." Bilbo smiled softly. "I think it makes you human."

"They're my family. All of them." Thorin's eyes shined fiercely in the darkness. "We can't loose anyone else."

"Anyone else? Who did you loose?"

"Grár, Fíli and Kíli's father, wasn't a Super. He was running errands and got caught in the crossfire when Great Goblin's minions attacked the city. Dís was still pregnant with Kíli at the time."

"Kíli never knew his father?" Bilbo asked quietly.

"Only from stories," Thorin said as he looked out across the cityscape. "Most of us were together by that point. My nephews were basically raised by the Company."

"They were raised with good role models. And they seem well-adjusted considering the life you all lead."

"As well-adjusted as any of us are. This isn't an easy life, the powers aren't always worth the cost."

"There was someone else, wasn't there? Someone else you lost..."

Thorin was quite for a long moment and Bilbo worried he had overstepped his bounds. When Thorin finally spoke, his voice was soft, distant. "Dís and I had a brother, Frerin. Dís called his powers localized time manipulation, because he could accelerate himself through time. Basically, he was a speedster. Frerin could alter time just enough to move faster than the eye could see. He was amazing in a fight! Dragging injured people away before we even knew they were hurt, getting to the villains before they could attack..."

Bilbo nodded. "Frerin sounds like an amazing Super."

"He was an amazing brother too! Always joking around and keeping me from taking things too seriously. Fíli takes after him in looks, but Kíli has his fire. Sometimes it hurts to look at them..."

"What happened to him?"

"The thing with Frerin's powers is that they worked by accelerating him through time. Where a fight may have lasted an hour for us, for Frerin it was four days. Every time he used his powers he aged a bit more." Thorin stared off into the distance, lost in his memories. "We were fighting a veritable army of orc henchmen outside of the Moria Building and there was no way we were going to win. Half of the Company was already severely injured and there were dozens of civilians trapped inside. One minute we were fighting for our lives, the next all the civilians were safe and the orcs were all defeated. Frerin had blown through all of his power in order to save everyone."

"But he didn't make it..." It was more of a statement than a question.

"No. We found his skeleton by the east door to the Moria Building. He burned himself out."

"Frerin died saving people. He was a true hero," Bilbo said softly as he reached out and rested his hand on Thorin's arm. Neither man spoke again and they sat unmoving until daybreak.

…

Morning came early and all of the Company sat down to breakfast together. Dwalin grumbled under his breath about the ungodly hour while Kíli snored into his cereal, much to the amusement of his brother. They ate quietly, everyone focusing on the task at hand and the fact that the plan was hinging on the two least prepared members of their group.

Suddenly, Loni broke into a huge smile. "Bifur's awake!"

Bofur and Bombur were out of their seats in an instant, rushing to where their cousin was resting. The rest of the Company followed close behind, anxious to see their teammate.

"Bif! Yer awake!" Bofur's smile was so wide it threatened to split his face in two.

Bifur was sitting up in bed, his newly regrown skin still bright red, but healing well. His eyes crinkled happily as he make a few gestures with his hands.

"It's good to see you too!" Bombur said happily. "You were out for a couple of days."

Oín stepped up to the bedside, his fingertips glowing softly. "Hmm... everything looks good. Welcome back, my friend."

Bifur made another set of gestures and then frowned, looking over at Loni.

"He wants to know what he missed. He remembers the attack and parts of the healing, but needs someone to fill him in on everything else."

"No problem, Bif. Blue Team is getting ready t' head out into the field, I can stay here an' explain," Bofur said happily.

"I'd better stay too," Nori smirked. "We all know birdbrain here ain't the best with retelling information."

Bofur looked exceptionally pleased, even in light of the insult. "Sounds like a plan!"

As the others filtered back out to prepare for the day, Bofur began to tell his cousin about the events of the past few days. He started with Bilbo's information and S.M.A.U.G. attacking, rolling his eyes good-naturedly when Nori cut in with snarky comments.

Back in the main room, Blue Team gathered their supplies and headed to the elevator. Bilbo smoothed his hand over the flash drive in his jacket pocket. He was glad Nori had thought to go to his flat and bring back some of his clothes, though he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to know how the thief had gotten in. Ori wore his press pass around his neck and clutched his notebook and silver pen tightly in his gloved hands. In his satchel was his camera, extra pens, and also the small plastic stun-gun Dís had given him, just in case.

"Are you lads ready for this?" Balin asked kindly.

"Ready as I'll ever be," Bilbo answered as Ori nodded solemnly.

"All right then. Let's get going."

...

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**A/N: Next plot chapter we're sending our two not-heroes into the proverbial dragon's den (which is a chapter I'm excited to share with you!). But first we have another origin chapter. Monday we'll find out a bit more what Bifur was like when he was younger, as well as more about his accident (since you guys asked for it).**

**Remember- reviews, favorites, and follows let me know that you're enjoying the story. It only takes a minute and really means the world to me. **


	8. Origins: Bifur

...

Origins: Bifur

...

"Bifur! Look out!" The words caught his attention, but he wasn't worried. Half a dozen villains were banded together against the Supers, but there was no question of who would be victorious. After all, they were Supers. The good guys. The heroes. And heroes always won in the end.

He turned towards his teammates and flashed his teeth in a confidant smile. "Worry 'bout yourselves! I've got this thing under control!" They were high above the city, fighting on the rooftops and gables of the skyline. It was an impressive sight and would probably make the front page of the morning paper.

"Time to rock and roll!" He shouted as Balrog rushed forward and he opened his mouth to attack with a sonic scream. A sharp blow, the feeling of his skull splitting open, then there was nothing but darkness.

…

_Bifur is seventeen and invincible. As front-man for The Sonic Underground he has everything- the looks, the girls, and a voice that could make angels cry._

_He hefts his guitar and plays the opening chords to 'Say Your Name'. Behind him, the other musicians pick up the tune on bass and drums and keyboard. But all eyes are on Bifur. The lead man. The star._

"_I'll say your name into the night,_

_I'll rock your body, hold you tight."_

_The front row is all girls, the groupies who follow them from show to show. Crooning into the microphone, Bifur lets a bit of his sonic power seep into the vibrato. The air around the girls pulsates, causing goosebumps to rise on their arms and their nipples to tighten beneath their shirts. He winks and throws in a hip thrust for good measure._

"_I'll kiss your neck, I'll make you shout,_

_I'll teach you what lovin' is all about."_

_He smirks at the girls and wriggles a brow suggestively. This is what they come to the shows for- the sex appeal, the pounding base, the theatrics. His power amplifies the music, makes the air hum and throb. It's probably unethical, but Bifur is seventeen and can't care less._

"_I'll feel you, baby, you're a pretty sight,_

_I'll say your name into the night."_

_The song ends and the crows erupts into applause- girls jumping, and screaming, and shimmying in their tight skirts and belly shirts. The band leaves the stage. The other members go to the green room for beers and girlfriends and after-parties. Bifur is waylaid by a blond with red lips and too high heels._

"_You have a great smile," she says and bats her spidery eyelashes._

"_Of course I do, sweetheart." He cracks a toothy grin._

"_And that voice! Holy shit, it's hot!" She moves in close, molding herself to his body._

_He opens his mouth to spin her a line, but she's already reaching out to him. Her fingers brush along his hairline, but the touch is sharp like a razor blade and leaves a trail of blood._

…

The pain brought him back, past and present mixing in his head for a long confusing moment, until his eyes opened and Oin's face appeared above him.

"You were out for a few hours. How are you feeling?" The healer's face did little to hide his concern.

Bifur parted his lips to reply, but an unbidden blast of sonic energy escaped, barely missing Oin's head and leaving a gaping hold in the ceiling. He stared at the hole, the throbbing in his head reminding him something wasn't right. Again he tried to speak, but the moment his lips loosened the power came out unexpectedly. He clamped his jaw shut.

"Oh dear," Oin said softly. "I was worried about that. You took a bad blow to the head- split you right open. I did my best to heal it, but there were some bits inside your head I couldn't put right. I assumed it was where your power resided, as it wasn't normal human physiology..."

Struggling to sit up, Bifur grabbed for a notebook and a pen. _HOW LONG?_

"I don't know. It might heal on its own, it might not. For now I'll have Dis rig up some sort of mask to keep your mouth shut when you're not using your powers."

_IF NOT, HOW LONG?_

Oin sighed and glanced around nervously. "Possibly forever. I'm sorry."

The pen and notebook went flying across the room in a fit of rage. He wanted to cry or scream or pray, but all he was left with was silence.

…

* * *

...

**A/N: the accident probably happened when Bifur was in his mid 30s... which is roughly 5 years before ItCoH takes place.**


	9. Arkenstone

...

Blue Team made their camp in a vacant building two blocks from the G-Tech offices. While Dís fitted both Bilbo and Ori with button cameras and ax-shaped com units, Thorin went over their plan one last time.

"Ori is to cause a distraction, but not enough to have the police called on him. Bilbo's purpose is to burgle the code from the computers." He stared at them levelly. "You both remember the code word for if you get into trouble?"

"Arkenstone," they replied with a shared eye roll.

"This is no joke! While I'm certain that Ori can cause an adequate distraction, I have my doubts about Mister Baggins."

Bilbo frowned, confused over the change in Thorin from the night before. One minute the man was pouring out his heart, the next he was acting as though Bilbo was an incompetent fool. "I'm quite certain we can accomplish this."

"This could be dangerous. If ya two ain't up for it, we can find another way..." Dwalin said hesitantly.

"We'll be fine." Ori smiled up at him. "And you're only two blocks away if we need rescuing."

"I know. I just don't like the thought of ya going in there by yerself." He hedged awkwardly. "I don't want anything to happen to ya."

Ori leaned up and kissed Dwalin on the cheek, then grabbed Bilbo's arm and drug him out onto the street before the other man could respond.

…

The two block walk to the G-Tech building was uneventful. They couldn't be seen entering the building together, so Ori waited around the corner while Bilbo let himself in and made his way to his cubicle. Once inside, he turned on his computer and checked his e-mail, trying not to seem like it was anything other than a typical work day. He answered a few phone calls and jotted down notes in his appointment book. A co-worker popped her head in to say she was glad he was back, and Bilbo forced himself to make pleasant small talk with her.

"I'm heading in," Ori's voice sounded quietly through the com system. "Get ready."

Bilbo smiled at his co-worker and hummed in agreement as she complained about something he didn't quite catch. A scuffle in the foyer of the building drew both of their attention and Bilbo used the distraction to slip out of his cubical and down the hall.

"The people have the right to know! You can't hide this from the press!" Ori proclaimed loudly, as he pushed his way further into the offices. "I demand to talk to the programers who created this vile creature! We deserve answers!"

As the majority of G-Tech employees left their offices to see what the fuss was about, Bilbo hurried towards the back of the building where the server rooms were. He paused outside the door and concentrated until he felt himself vanish. Once he was sure no one was around to see, he let himself into the server room and looked around. Over his com he could hear Ori continuing his rant, demanding to speak to the CEO and threatening to expose the truth about S.M.A.U.G. going rogue.

The server room consisted of a large bank of computers and a long desk covered in files. Misty North, one the programers who had been in the meeting Bilbo overheard, was sitting at the desk and looked up when the door opened. "Hello?" She blinked in confusion, then closed the door and went back to her work.

Bilbo bit back a sigh of relief. Looking around, he saw that the file Misty appeared to be working on was labeled S.M.A.U.G.. Also on the desk was the morning's edition of The Daily Portents, with Ori's edited story on the front page. The headline read _Balrog Apprehended by S.M.A.U.G.- Super Caught in the Crossfire_. Turning his attention to the computers, he quickly found the mainframe Dís had described and carefully put the flash drive into the port. He couldn't risk talking, but Dís' voice on the com assured him that the information was being uploaded to her server.

Meanwhile, Ori found himself surrounded by people. Two security guards were trying to escort him to the door, while a dozen employees watched in rapt amusement. Digging into his satchel, Ori pulled out the photographs of S.M.A.U.G.'s attack and held them up. "Do you see this? This is your robot attacking the Supers! This is Gandalf dying! Do you see this? Do you see what you've done!?"

Dís confirmed the upload was complete just as the door to the server room opened again. Barry Humphries, the other programer from the meeting, entered and Bilbo held his breath.

"We've got a problem, Misty."

"A worse problem than our AI going sentient?" She ground out, still staring down at the papers in front of her. "I just don't understand where this code came from."

"Deal with it later!" The heavyset man slammed a fist down on the table to draw her attention. "Some nosy reporter kid is out in the lobby threatening to expose us. He's got pictures and everything."

"Shit! I thought all of the newspapers were paid off so this wouldn't happen... What do we do?"

"Steven wants us to keep the S.M.A.U.G. problem quiet, no matter what the cost."

Misty looked horrified. "Are you suggesting we _kill_ the reporter? No! I'm not going to be a part of that!"

"Fine. But it this kid publishes something that comes back to bite us on the ass, I'm throwing you under the bus!"

Over his com Bilbo could hear Ori shouting insults as the security guards drug him out of the building. The door to the server room was ajar and Bilbo knew it was time to make his escape. He quickly scooped up the file on the desk, though it made him appear for a split second, and took off running. Behind him, he could hear the confused sounds of the programmers, followed by Barry's angry scream "Thief!"

Bilbo ran as fast as he could, dodging people, and rushing towards the door. He passed Ori, just as the reporter was being thrown out onto the sidewalk and paused for a moment. "Ori, run!"

Ori took off running with Bilbo invisible at his side. They darted through a crowded market and towards the back entrance to the building Blue Team was waiting in. "I don't think we're being followed." Bilbo huffed as they slowed down in an alleyway to catch their breaths. He reappeared and passed Ori the file to put in his satchel.

"We did it," Ori said, with a breathless laugh.

Bilbo grinned and nodded. "I think we did. Though, I rather doubt either of us will be able to go back to work after that stunt."

"It was worth it though. I guess you really don't have to be a Super to help save the world."

"You ain't gotta be a Super to die like one either," said a rough voice from the mouth of the alley. The speaker was a tall albino man with bright blue eyes, covered in scars.

"Rumor has it that you little nobodies just stole something fun from G-Tech." A second scarred man with gray skin stepped out of the shadows, blocking their escape.

"It's Azog and Bolg," Ori whimpered into his com unit. "Arkenstone! Arkenstone!"

"We're on our way, lads. Hang in there!" Dwalin's voice in their ears was labored, as if he were already running.

Azog grinned wickedly as he raised his hand and a club made of solid ice formed in his grasp. "I ain't sure what you stole, but if it's about S.M.A.U.G. then I want it."

Bilbo looked around frantically, trying to formulate a plan. "S.M.A.U.G. is trying to kill everyone with powers! It'll go after you too... Maybe we can work together...?"

Lightening flickered from Bolg's fingertips and charred the ground at Bilbo's feet. "We ain't working with no Supers. And we definitely ain't working with no powerless humans."

Ori tucked his satchel behind him and tugged nervously at his gloves. "Who said we were powerless?"

"What? Little nobodies like you with powers?" Azog cackled and lunged forward, swinging his ice club at Ori's head.

Ori threw up his arm to protect his face and the club connected soundly with it, throwing him back against the brick wall of the alleyway.

Bilbo panicked and disappeared, skirting behind Azog and tripping him before the villain could hit his friend again.

Bolg's hands crackled with electricity as he turned to where Ori was crumpled on the pavement. "Been awhile since I got to fry a human. I'm gonna enjoy this."

The lightning bolt he readied never made its intended target as Dwalin barreled down the alleyway and tackled Bolg to the ground. His skin sizzled as Bolg's electrically charged hands grappled against him, but the regeneration power kept him mobile and fighting. Dwalin's knuckle-dusters found their mark time and time again as he pummeled at Bolg's face.

Thorin rounded the corner not a second later, his arms shifting to solid oak as he ran. Azog climbed to his feet and met him head on, swinging his ice club and meeting Thorin blow for blow.

Bilbo struggled to his feet and became visible again as Dís quickly moved to Ori's side. The reporter pushed her away and cradled his left arm close, his teeth clenched against the pain.

Balin's voice sounded in their ears, "S.M.A.U.G. has been sighted! I'm getting the car an' heading your way!"

Thorin was caught off guard by the warning and Azog took that moment to strike, knocking him to the ground. The ice club melted and altered into a sharp-edged ice blade in Azog's hand. He raised the blade over Thorin's prone form, cackling wickedly as the other man tried to scramble away. "You ain't getting away this time, Oakenshield. This time you're mine!"

Bilbo watched the scene unfold with a growing panic. Thorin was going to be killed and no one was close enough to stop it. A strange sensation pickled at the back of his neck. As the blade came down at Thorin's neck, Bilbo somehow moved without realizing it. One second he was across the alley with Dís and Ori, the next he was in front of Azog, leaping at him and knocking the ice blade away.

A mint green van skidded to a stop at the mouth of the alley and Dís hurriedly helped Ori inside. Dwalin landed one last blow on Bolg, who crumpled motionless to the ground, then pulled Thorin to his feet. Bilbo moved with them, rushing to the vehicle where Balin was waiting to make their escape. It wasn't until they were safely in the lobby of Erebor Tower that anyone caught their breath enough to speak.

"What the hell was that?" Thorin snarled, glaring at Bilbo.

"What was what?" He frowned, rubbing a hand over a sore spot on his ribs.

"You never told us you have a secondary power, burglar. That might have be useful to know!"

"What secondary power? Are you certain you didn't hit your head? I'm not certain what you're talking about?"

Thorin growled again and it was Dís who answered. "You teleported. One second you were next to me, the next you were across the alley. Puff of smoke, slightly sulfuric smell. You teleported."

Bilbo blinked in utter confusion. "I'm sorry...?" He hedged, looking up at Thorin.

"I thought that you would be a burden. That you had no place among us," Thorin started and Bilbo's heart dropped. "I've never been so wrong in all my life. You've proved yourself both without powers and with them." He reached down and pulled Bilbo into a tight hug. "I'm sorry I doubted you."

"It's fine. I would have doubted me too." He stepped back when Thorin loosened his embrace. "I'm not a Super. I'm not even a burglar."

"Come on, lads," Balin urged from where he already waiting with Dís in the elevator. "As touching as this moment is, we need to get upstairs with the others. Ori needs a healer."

"No I don't," Ori managed through gritted teeth.

Dwalin slid an arm carefully around Ori's waist and helped him into the elevator. "Ya ain't fine. I shouldn't have let ya go alone."

"You couldn't have stopped me," he said with a pained smile. "It's all right. I'll be fine. Really."

The elevator chimed and they exited at floor 27 where the rest of the Company was waiting.

"Ori!" Dori was at his brother's side in a heartbeat, pulling him from Dwalin's arms and dragging him off to the side. "You're hurt?"

"My wrist," Ori said softly. "I don't think it's broken though, just bruised or sprained."

"Shit," Nori muttered. "Do you think it'll heal okay?"

Ori looked at his brothers and managed a brave smile. "I'll be fine. Now stop acting so bothersome."

"Is the boy hurt?" Oín looked to where Ori had his arm cradled against his chest. "Your wrist then? That's an easy one. Take your glove off and I'll have you fixed up in a jiffy."

"No!" Ori snapped, covering his wrist with his good hand. "It'll heal just fine on it's own!"

Oín's fingertips glowed with energy as he reached out towards Ori. "Don't worry, boy, this won't hurt a bit."

"Don't touch me!" Ori backed away. "I said I don't want you to heal me! Just leave me alone!" He rushed down the hallway towards the bedrooms and Dori followed after him.

Nori looked up at the rest of the Company and shrugged. "He's uncomfortable with people using powers on him."

"What? Why?" Dwalin looked perplexed.

"Jealousy mostly. He doesn't have any of his own and all..." The thief shrugged again, his eyes shifting towards the hallway. "So... did you get that code?"

"The upload was successful, though I haven't had a chance to see what was on the hard drive yet," Dís said, moving to one of the computers. "Damn. They've got locked partitions all over the place. This might take a few hours."

"Do what you need to do," Thorin said with a sigh. "Right now we don't have anything else to go on."

…

* * *

...

**A/N: The plot thickens! There are a few things that happen in this chapter that are going to be important subplots to the rest of the story. Any ideas what they might be? And what did you think of Ori and Bilbo?**


	10. Origins: Dís

**A/N: I know I've been slow responding to comments and I'm SO sorry. I work an extra job this time of year and it's been CRAZY busy. I'm doing my damnedest to keep updating on schedule, but replying to comments is taking a little longer than usual. But I promise I will respond to everyone! You're all awesome!**

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* * *

...

Origins: Dís

…

From the first moment her fingers touched a keyboard, Dís breathed binary. With one look at a strand of code she could break apart each component and reassemble it to be better, faster, stronger. Each 1 and 0 on the screen became a tool to create, a near infinite string of possibilities. Pentiums, data packets, and executions were written into the very fiber of her being, things she understood from their base functions up.

She married her high school sweetheart, Grár, the only man who accepted her need to be _more_, even if he never understood it. She measured their love in terabytes and RAM, and gave him every part of her that wasn't taken up by algorithms and microcode. He would lose her for days at a time to new projects, only to have her return with grease on her fingers and numbers in her eyes. It was as if they spoke different languages, and Grár often joked that the only way her could ever get her full attention would be if he were part machine.

Dís went straight to college -MIT on a full ride scholarship- with Grár trailing after her. In two years she had a bachelors degree, in four a masters. Then the babies came- Fíli first, blond and bright like his father, but with her solemn focus. Schooling fell by the wayside and they moved back home, to the Company's first base in the apartments of Ered Luin, to be closer to her family.

But Dís chafed at domestic life, her mind still racing with thoughts of computer code and schematics and technology. She devoted herself to upgrading their security systems and began building tech for the Company, loosing herself in the circuits and coding. She worked on their power grid and computer servers until the swell of her belly prevented her from crawling beneath the desks.

Kíli was a month from being born when Grár left the apartments in Ered Luin to go out for groceries. Dís was caught up in her work and offered him an absent wave as he left, not even bothering to look up as he told her goodbye.

Just like a computer system could fall to catastrophic failure, there were sometimes casualties when villains attacked the city. Grár was caught in the crossfire when the Riders of Rohan battled Great Goblin's minions, sustaining heavy internal hemorrhaging from a blow to the chest. His eyes stayed closed, but he clung to life, hooked to the beeping machines that breathed air into his battered lungs. Dís never left his side, clinging to his hand and offering silent promises to him and their unborn child if only he'd wake. After three days Grár's body gave up, and Dís was left alone with a flat-line drone of the life support machine.

…

* * *

...

**A/N: Next chapter- the Company gets some downtime, hints are given, and Dwalin faces off against Dori.**

**CONTEST! It was suggested that I should do a contest, so here we go. Everyone in the Company has powers that I stole from various Marvel characters. The first person to comment with each character and who I modeled their powers after will get a drabble of their choice about something in this 'verse. Good luck!**


	11. Few in Number

...

While Dís worked on cracking the G-Tech computers, the rest of the Company spread out around Erebor Tower and went about their business. As usual, though they all had bedrooms of their own, most everyone scattered around the main room, sprawling out over the plaid couches and chairs, carving out spaces at one of the smaller tables, and settling in with mugs of tea and bowls of snacks for the long wait they were expecting to have.

...

Nori sat at one of the tables, shuffling a deck of cards and shooting worried glances at the door his brothers left through. Neither Dori nor Ori had rejoined the group and he found himself unsure whether to check on them or stand watch. Bofur sat across the room and watched Nori, finally shaking his head and moving to join his friend. "Okay, thief. Deal me in."

"You wanna play?" Nori blinked and tilted his head. "You always loose when we play cards."

"That's because yeh stack the deck," Bofur said with a wide-dimpled smile. "Deal me in."

"Wait a sec... Every time we play I cheat and you lose. Why d'you keep offering to play cards with me?"

Bofur rubbed the back of his neck and blushed. "Maybe I just like yer company."

Nori stared at him silently for a moment before handing over the deck of cards. "Okay. You deal."

Grinning brightly, Bofur shuffled the deck and began to deal out the cards. "All right, thief. Let's see if yeh can beat me honestly."

"Bring it on, birdbrain!" He contemplated his cards. "Do you have any sevens?"

"Go fish!"

…

"How are you feeling, Bifur?" Bombur asked his cousin.

Bifur replied with a so-so gesture of his hand. He reclined on the couch, back pressed into the softness of one of the cushions, with one leg propped up on the coffee table.

"His hip aches a bit, but he'll be fine," Loni supplied, leaning back against one of her husband's arms.

"That's good. We were really lucky you didn't get hurt worse."

Nodding, Bifur absently traced a finger over one of the scarred patches of new skin on his arm. His face was a little too thoughtful, dark in the way it had been just after his head injury.

Bombur decided it was time to change the subject. "What about you two? Have you found a safe place for yer son to stay?"

"Yes, actually," Gloín said. "It's going to sound strange, but the White Council offered to take Gimli under their protection. Thranduil has a son his age and both boys are being kept out of danger."

"The White Council? Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"The protections on their headquarters are just as strong as ours and they're staying out of the fight. They won't draw nearly as much attention to themselves as we are."

Loni agreed, "Plus, Gimli hasn't showed any signs of developing powers yet. S.M.A.U.G. has no reason to attack him. We just wanted him somewhere safe, somewhere out of the crossfire if things go badly."

Bombur chewed on his lip thoughtfully. "That's smart thinking. As much as I hate to say it, I have a feeling things here are far from over."

Bifur made a rude gesture and pointed at the skyline.

"You're right, Bifur. Damn dragon."

…

"So, you can mimic any fighting style? Anything at all?" Bilbo asked, regarding the weapons rack skeptically.

Fíli grinned. "Yup. Anything at all."

"Axes?"

"Regular and throwing."

"Swords?"

"One handers, two handers, dual-wield..."

"Guns?"

"Near perfect aim with anything. Never use them though."

"Martial arts?"

"Any and every kind I've come across. Learned a lot by watching videos on youtube."

"Crowbar?"

"Like I said, any fighting style, any weapon."

"Bow and arrows."

"No."

Bilbo blinked. "No? I thought you said you can mimic _any_ combat style? So, couldn't you master archery too?"

"I've never tried. That's Kíli's specialty."

"But you could master it if you wanted to."

"No." Fíli stood up, effectively ending the conversation.

Bilbo found himself both surprised and impressed that Fíli would be so careful not to take away his brother's limelight. He opened his mouth to say as much, but suddenly a hand clamped down hard on his shoulder. Bilbo let out a panicked squeak and disappeared.

Kíli laughed so hard his hand fell from Bilbo's shoulder and he clutched his sides to keep from tipping over. "That was awesome!"

Fíli joined in with his own laughter, which grew even louder as Bilbo reappeared with a mortified look.

"It's really not very polite for you two to poke fun at me, you know!" He tried to act stern, but found it difficult as the two boys dissolved into uncontrollable giggles, clinging to each other in their mirth.

"Sorry, Bilbo," Kíli managed between gasping breaths. "I couldn't help it..."

Bilbo rolled his eyes as Fíli corralled his brother and drug him over to join Nori and Bofur at their card game. After a moment of awkwardness he shrugged to himself and went to join them.

…

"What do you think, Balin? Do we stand a chance?" Thorin looked across the scared tabletop at his friend.

"We'll do what we have to do." He shrugged, having no real answer or comfort to give. "Whether or not we'll succeed, I don't know."

"I think it depends on what that sister of yours finds out," Oín pointed out. He toyed with the brim of his teacup and glanced towards the computer wall.

Balin agreed, "If anyone can find a way to stop S.M.A.U.G. it will be Dís. Don't loose hope, lad."

"I'm trying not to, but we don't have a lot going for us. So few in number..."

"But we're fighters, all of us, and we'll keep fighting until the breath is gone from our bodies."

Thorin gave a despondent sigh. "That's what I'm afraid of."

…

Ori returned to the main room and sat himself on one of the couches, away from the others, with his arm cradled close to his chest. He looked tired and pale, but the panic was gone from his face.

"Mind if I sit?" Dwalin asked hesitantly, walking over to the boy and gesturing awkwardly at the couch.

"Please." Ori managed a small, genuine smile.

Dwalin sat down gingerly, their knees brushing lightly against one another. "How are ya doing?"

"I'll be fine, it's just a sprain."

"Yer sure? I know ya won't let Oín see it, but if it's broken the bones need to be set to heal right." He reached out and gently took hold of Ori's injured arm, feeling at the bones through the knitted gloves.

"I don't think it's broken..." He stared at Dwalin's face, blushing fiercely.

Dwalin looked up, his fingers rubbing carefully at Ori's wrist. "I don't think it is either..." He leaned forward and kissed Ori softly, sweetly.

Ori pressed into the kiss, sliding his good arm around Dwalin's neck to pull him closer. Dwalin's hands moved without thought, one sliding around the boy's waist while the other traced under the wrist of his hoodie.

"Stop!" Dori screeched from the door to the hallway. He raced across the room, waving his arms in a frantic attempt to draw their attention. "Get your hands off him!"

Dwalin and Ori jumped apart, both looking equal parts pleased and guilty.

Dori grabbed his brother's good arm and pulled him up. "Ori, you can't do this. You know what could happen. He may mean well, but his power is incredibly strong. I don't want to see you get hurt."

"Hurt!?" Dwalin growled, jumping to his feet. "I would never hurt him!"

"I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to Ori."

"But ya were talkin' about me! He's an adult, he can make his own choices!"

"You're right. He can," Dori agreed with some degree of malice. "But that doesn't mean I can't remind him what's at stake."

"Yer practically telling him that I'm a monster!" Dwalin fumed, his knuckle-dusters extending through the skin on his hands. "I know how to control my damn powers! I ain't an animal!"

Dori clenched his fists and moved into Dwalin's personal space. "Don't push me. This is between me and Ori."

Across the room, the rest of the Company watched the scene with a varying level of interest and a good deal on concern. The card game had come to a screeching halt when Dori began yelling and Nori chewed on his lip as he watched his oldest brother flail his arms.

"If they come to blows, who d'ya think would win?" Kíli whispered, none too quietly.

"Well, Dori is just about the strongest Super there is," Fíli replied, a bit softer than his brother. "He could do some serious damage."

"Aye, but Dwalin can regenerate. It would take a lot t' knock him out." Bofur chuckled. "What do yeh think, Nori?"

"My money is on Dori. He's fighting for something important."

Bofur waggled an eyebrow. "T' protect yer little brother's honor?"

"Something like that," Nori muttered with a sigh.

"Dwalin is fighting for something too," Bilbo pointed out. "He's quite smitten with Ori. Anyone can see that..."

Ori had been watching the fight quietly, with wide eyes and a clenched jaw. He finally seemed to come to a decision and stepped between the two arguing men. "Stop it! Both of you! Stop fighting!"

Both men grew silent and looked mildly ashamed. Dori unclenched his fists, while Dwalin retracted his knuckle-dusters.

"Dori, listen. I appreciate your warning, but know what I'm risking. I know I could end up getting hurt." Ori glanced down and tugged at the glove on his injured hand. His voice softened. "But I want this, Dori. I want a chance to be happy, even for just a little while. I'm not going to rush off and do anything stupid. But I want to be with him. He's worth it."

The room was eerily silent as everyone watched the drama unfold. Dwalin blushed at Ori's words and looked fiercely proud.

"Okay then." Dori leveled a worried look at his brother, but nodded slowly. "You're an adult, you can make your own choices. I just hope you know what you're doing."

"I do," Ori said, the quaver in his voice betraying his emotions. "Thank you, Dori."

"Good luck, little one." Dori pulled his brother into a quick hug, then went to join Thorin across the room.

Ori turned and smiled shyly up at Dwalin. "I hope I wasn't being too presumptuous..."

"About wantin' us to be together?" He smiled and gently cupped the younger man's face with his hand. "I want that too."

This time it was Ori who initiated the kiss, grabbing hold of Dwalin's beard with his good hand and pulling him down until their lips met. Dwalin smiled into the kiss and slid his hand around the small of Ori's back, pulling him close.

At the table, Bofur toyed with his cards and then turned to Nori curiously. "Why's it seem like Dori is worried about something other than Dwalin dating yer brother?"

"'Cause it's never been about Dwalin."

...

Later that night Dís glared at the computer monitor and stood up. She rolled her shoulders, wincing slightly as the joint popped in irritation, and sulked over to the table where Thorin, Bilbo, and Bifur were sitting. The rest of the Company were strewn about the room in various states of consciousness. Fíli and Kíli were passed out like puppies in one corner, Oín and Dori napped in armchairs near the window, and Dwalin snored softly with Ori tucked safely under his arm. Gloín and Loni were nowhere to be seen, probably taking advantage of the lull in action to have a little alone time in their room. Bofur and Nori were still at their card game, neither willing to admit defeat even though both were exhausted. Balin and Bombur watched the card game during the rare moments they were awake enough to focus.

"I don't know why we bothered furnishing bedrooms when every time there's a potentially dangerous situation they all sleep out here."

Thorin smiled tiredly. "Because, dear sister, we want to believe that things will be good enough one day to warrant bedrooms."

"Today is not that day." She sat down at the table and gave Bifur a warm smile when he handed her a fresh cup of coffee. "I've been through everything we leached from the G-Techs systems and all I've gotten is a headache."

"There's nothing at all about S.M.A.U.G.?"

"Oh, there's plenty. And it's damn interesting too. I'm just not sure how useful any of it is. I was hoping to find the code that took down the fail-safes."

Thorin cursed under his breath. "Well, let's hear what you did find. Maybe there will be something of import."

Dís drummed her fingers on the tabletop as she collected her thoughts. "Okay. The only slightly useful thing I learned is that S.M.A.U.G. operates on a flywheel power storage system. That's its power source."

"Flywheel? In English, please?" Thorin said irritably.

"A flywheel system is a type of uninterpretable power supply. It works by accelerating a rotor to an extremely high speed and then harassing that rotational energy. There is an insane amount of power conservation built in, which allows the robot to go into hibernation mode when all its systems aren't in use."

"I thought I asked for that in English. I don't see anything useful in that tech gibberish you just spouted out."

"There is one sure-fire way to stop a flywheel system." Dís said, rubbing a hand over her eyes tiredly. "Just like any other electronic system, if you overload it with enough power you can short out the system."

"You mean we could electrocute S.M.A.U.G.?" Thorin asked, leaning forward in his chair.

"In theory? Yes."

"What's the catch?" He asked skeptically. "I can already tell that there's a catch."

"I can't think of anything we have access to that would be able to harness enough power to take down S.M.A.U.G.. Short of god striking it down with a lightening bolt, I have no clue how to use that information." Dís gave a dejected sigh. Bifur reached over and patted her hand reassuringly.

"Wait," Bilbo said, snapping out of his half-asleep daze. "I almost forgot..." He got up and rooted around the room, finally unearthing Ori's satchel from under the boy's feet. "I found something else in the server room at G-Tech..."

"What is it?" Thorin rumbled, looking put out. "And why didn't you tell us earlier, burglar? You teleported, then you keep this from us, is there anything else we should know?"

"I have no idea how I teleported! And as for this file, I forgot, what with getting attacked by superpowered villains and all." Pulling out the file, he handed it to Dís. "I don't know what's in here, but the lead programers were working on it, and it was labeled S.M.A.U.G.."

Dís flipped through the pages in the folder with widening eyes, then stood up and hurried back to the computers without saying a word. The men followed her, peering over her shoulder as she began to type strings of code into the prompt box on her monitor.

"Dís?" Thorin prodded his sister in the shoulder. "You look slightly manic... Is there something useful in that folder?"

"Yes! This is the data file that took down S.M.A.U.G.'s fail-safes! I can see how they got in now... It's really an ingenious bit of vampire code. The hacker didn't need to leave himself a backdoor, he pretty much set a package on the doorstep and waited to be taken in! As soon as the G-Tech programmers installed the upgrade, the virus was invited into S.M.A.U.G.'s binary and promptly took out the fail-safes. The programmers didn't catch it, because it was literally one tiny line of code amongst thousands. It looks so innocuous unless you really read at where it falls in the program. Whoever did this is a genius. And that's me saying that."

"Well, that's discouraging," Bilbo said with a irritated huff. "A genius level hacker who released a sentient robot on us."

"But to what end?" Thorin asked suddenly. "If the whole purpose was for S.M.A.U.G. to become self-aware and kill Supers... what good would that do?"

Bifur made a rushed series of signs and pounded his fist on the table. When no one immediately caught on he repeated the motions slower, forming the signs for the letters N and P, as well as a series of bastardized gestures.

"What if the hacker doesn't have powers?" Bilbo suggested hesitantly, hoping he got the gist of the signs. Bifur nodded fervently. "If he's trying to take over the city or the world or whatever, the Supers are always going to stop him. If there are no Supers left..."

"He could potentially have free reign," Thorin finished. "That actually makes a terrifying amount of sense."

"I may have some good news," Dís interjected, her fingers still clicking away at the keyboard. "I don't see any reason that S.M.A.U.G. would have closed up the pathway the code came in through. I might be able to devise a virus of my own to shut down the core functions."

Thorin leaned forward eagerly. "Will that work?"

"Honestly? That remains to be seen. It's a 50/50 chance at best and we'd have to physically install the code into one of S.M.A.U.G.'s ports. But I can't think of anything else to try."

"Then you'd better get some sleep. Tomorrow you need to write that code, and we'll have to figure out how to infect S.M.A.U.G. with your virus."

…

It took Dís most of the day to create a virus that had any chance of taking out S.M.A.U.G.. She codenamed her creation Dragon-Sickness, because it latched onto the central components of the positronic brain and forced the AI to shut itself off. In theory. In actuality, she had no idea if it would work.

"According to the blueprints from the G-Tech computers, S.M.A.U.G. should have a USB port just below its left wing. One of the metal scales should swivel to reveal an access panel. All it would take to install is plugging one of my modified flash drives into the port and giving it a good 30 seconds to upload into the system."

"The trick is going to be getting someone up to S.M.A.U.G. to install the virus. We've already determined it's not likely that we can get the robot to land." Thorin regarded the Company with a level gaze. "We're going to send Green Team in, because the two NPs might be our best bet. S.M.A.U.G. is less likely to attack them, and they might throw it off its guard."

"I'm going to have to be here to monitor the transfer," Dís said. "So we need someone else who knows computers."

"I should be the one to do it," Dwalin rumbled. "I might be able to regen fast enough to survive a few bouts of dragon fire."

Ori made a small sound in the back of his throat, like an animal dying.

"No way. You don't know anything about computers." Nori glanced from his brother to Dwalin, then shrugged. "I can infect the bastard so long as I can get up to it."

"Nori, no," Ori whispered brokenly.

"Don't worry, little bro. I'm a NP, not a Super. S.M.A.U.G. ain't even gonna notice I'm there."

Bofur took a deep breath before speaking. "I can get yeh up there."

"You've got powers, birdbrain. I don't wanna be responsible for you getting fried."

"S.M.A.U.G. would have t' catch me first." Bofur gave his friend a cheeky smile, then tugged at the ear flaps of his aviator hat. "An' I'd like t' see him try."

Thorin looked around the room, his eyes lingering on his nephews, then he nodded. "Then it's settled. Green Team will be responsible for infecting S.M.A.U.G. with the virus. Everyone else will be on support duty. We need all hands on deck for this one. We'll head out at first light."

...

* * *

...

**A/N: There have been some really good attempts to name all the superheroes the Company are based off of, but so far no one has gotten them all correct. Keep guessing! Remember- first person to name all the MARVEL characters whose powers the Company's are based off of will get a drabble of their choice from this 'verse.**

**Stay tuned Wednesday for Kili's origin chapter. Then, on Friday, the Company goes to confront S.M.A.U.G. in what is one of my personal favorite chapters. See you then!**


	12. Origins: Kíli

Origins: Kíli

…

_Smooth the fletching. _

Kíli grew up on the romanticism of Robin Hood, the twang of a bow string, the thud of an arrow head embedding itself into a target. He watched and re-watched the old films until he knew every line and the tapes had been worn out. He begged for a bow and arrows each Christmas and birthday, until finally his Uncle Thorin broke down and presented him with a child's archery set.

...

_Nock the arrow. _

When he was ten he started waiting for his powers. By the time he turns fifteen he's given up hope. He's grown up being surrounded by Supers, seeing powers being used day in and day out. But just because he doesn't have powers doesn't mean he can't be a hero. It just means he has to focus more. Train harder. He can't be the weak link.

...

_Draw back the string. _

It's pointless to try and be the best fighter, because anything he does Fíli can do do better without even trying. But he needs to be able to fight, to protect his family. His childhood bow is too small in his hands and he saves up for months before he is able to replace it with a beautiful recurve. It suits him well, bends with his body, and he loves the way it seems to have been carved just for him.

...

_Line up the shot._

Kíli practices. He spends his free time with music blaring in his headphones and his recurve in his hand. He learns to make shots from his feet and knees, and prone, and on the move. He teaches himself to use all the trick arrows his mother designs for him. Bolas traps, electrical current arrowheads, darkness powder capsules... he learns to shoot them all, learns to adjust his shots for their added weight, their particular affliction.

...

_Kiss the arrow. _

He knows his shots will strike true. Once the fletching is clear from the string he doesn't need to look to know his shot will land. He breathes, steadying himself in the heat of battle. The smooth wood of his bow is a comfort and he focuses on it's weight, drowns out everything else. He fires one shot, then another, and another until his quiver is empty or the enemies defeated. He fights until they have won.

...

_Release. _

Kíli may not have powers, but he refuses to be powerless.

...

* * *

...

**A/N: See you guys back here Friday for a huge, exciting, action-packed chapter! Same bat-time, same bat-channel!**


	13. Smaug the Terrible

**A/N: Thank you again for all the comments and bookmarks and favorites! You guys are AMAZING and this story wouldn't be happening without you!**

...

* * *

...

Dís sat at the computer station, security feeds pulled up on four screens to show every possible view of Dale Regional Park. "All the feeds look clear. The park is closed to the public right now, so you shouldn't have any civilians to worry about. Having that many Supers in one area should draw S.M.A.U.G. out pretty quickly, so you'll have to hurry to get into position."

"You all know how important this is, but I don't want anyone taking any unnecessary risks. This is going to be dangerous, but if it comes down to running or dying..." Thorin paused, his brow furrowing slightly. "If we have to retreat, so be it. We can always try again."

"Don't worry, we've got this." Nori smirked and slid the chain holding the USB drive over his neck. "S.M.A.U.G. will never know what hit it."

"Remember, the virus needs 30 seconds to upload into the mainframe," Dís said pointedly. "As soon as you access the drive, S.M.A.U.G. is going to know what we're up to and will try to stop you."

Bofur gave a dimpled grin. "That's why the rest of us are there. We'll keep the old rust bucket so distracted that it won't have time t' worry about our thief."

"Let's get a move on then," Thorin said, hitting the button on the elevator.

The Company gathered their weapons and gear and started for the door before Dori's voice stopped them in their tracks.

"Just what do you think you're doing?"

"Bilbo and I are going with you. We talked about it last night." Ori fidgeted with his gloves, but met his brother's eyes resolutely. "There was an article in The Daily Portents this morning about the theft at G-Corp. They called me out by name. I can't go back to my old life. This is all I have left."

"No," Thorin said, looking from Ori to Bilbo. "Neither of you are fighters. I won't put you in danger again."

"You're not putting us in danger, we're doing that ourselves," Bilbo said with a shrug. "And you're forgetting who it was that saved you from Azog in the alleyway."

"By _teleporting_! Have you managed to figure out how to do it again?"

"No. I've tried, but I can't seem to make it happen." Bilbo frowned stubbornly. "But that doesn't change the fact that I'm coming along."

Thorin looked like he wanted to object, but Dwalin beat him to it. "Yer arm is still hurt, lad. You should stay here and help Dís."

"I'm done staying behind while everyone else fights." Ori reached out and took Dwalin's hand, squeezing it gently. "S.M.A.U.G. has put everyone I care about in danger. This is my fight too."

"Well said, little one." Dori smiled sadly at his brother. "Just promise you'll be careful."

"I'm always careful, Dori. You know that."

"Yes, you are. All right then, let's get a move on." The eldest Rill brother herded the Company into the elevator. "We've got a dragon to slay."

…

Dale Regional Park was more a large empty field than an actual park, making it the perfect place to stage a battle. Thorin drafted Ori and Bilbo into Blue Team and set them up on the top of a small rocky hill, where Balin would have plenty of resources to work with. Red Team set up on the opposite side of the field, leaving Green Team securely in the middle. Whatever direction S.M.A.U.G. decided to come in from, Green Team would not be the first to engage.

They had barely gotten settled with Dís' voice came over their com units. "I've got eyes on S.M.A.U.G. west of you and coming in fast."

Red Team turned and readied themselves as S.M.A.U.G. came into view. "I am here to end the power threat. Please surrender without struggling. Violators will be destroyed." It hovered about Red Team, smoke billowing out of the vent holes on its snout. "Do not resist. I will protect the humans at all costs."

"And what are you gonna do if we surrender?" Bombur yelled up at the robot. "Take us into custody?"

"No. Powers are a threat to the humans. I will destroy you." S.M.A.U.G.'s optical sensors rotated, focusing on Bifur. "You should be dead."

Bifur made a rude gesture, then opened his mouth and screamed. The sonic blast was strong enough to have knocked out a human, but it only rattled S.M.A.U.G.'s metal scales and pushed the robot dragon back a few yards. Before S.M.A.U.G. could respond, the rest of the Company sprung into action.

Kíli pulled an arrow out of his quiver and lined up the shot, sinking the tip into the dragon's chest. As soon as he was sure the arrow had hit its mark, he nocked another and let it fly, until half a dozen thick arrow shafts protruded along S.M.A.U.G.'s torso. "Handles are ready to go, guys," he said into his com before grabbing a trick arrows and activating the charge. The arrow connected just below one of the optical sensors and exploded on impact.

Bofur tugged his hat down and slid down the goggles over his eyes. "Are yeh sure about this?"

"Not really, but we ain't got much choice do we?" Nori shrugged, his normally impassive face showing a hint of worry. "Get me up there, birdbrain, then get the hell outta dodge."

"I don't like the idea of leaving yeh up there alone. What if something goes wrong? What if yer parachute doesn't open?"

"I'll be fine. I'm more worried about you getting extra crispy from hanging around."

"Let's do this then." Bofur stepped in front of Nori and wrapped his arms tightly around the thief. Nori did the same, pressing their bodies tightly together. For a moment their eyes locked, faces inches from each other. "Hang on," Bofur said huskily and pushed off the ground, his wings straining to get airborne with the extra weight. Nori clung tightly to him, his legs wrapping instinctively around Bofur's body in order to keep from falling. The ground fell away as they climbed higher into the sky, using the cloud cover to get behind S.M.A.U.G. without being noticed. Swooping low over the dragon's back, Bofur whispered "good luck" as Nori let go.

Landing hard on S.M.A.U.G.'s back, Nori scrambled to grab hold of one of the embedded arrows to use as a handhold as he pulled himself towards the USB port. S.M.A.U.G.'s head rotated, sensing an intrusion, but before it could notice Nori, Bofur flew into view. "Over here, yeh blasted furnace with wings!"

"Powers are a threat to the humans. I will destroy you." A spout of fire shot from S.M.A.U.G.'s maw, but Bofur dodged it easily, snapping his wings back to catch a draft and sail upwards.

"You'll destroy me, huh? Yeh an' what army?" He laughed and dove straight down at the dragon's head, doing a roll at the last second to duck under the monster's neck and out of sight.

S.M.A.U.G. roared and ducked it's head, shooting another blast of fire in the direction Bofur had gone. "I need no army. I am Smaug the terrible!"

"Never laugh at dragons, Bofur, you fool," he muttered as the barest hint of flame singed the tips of his feathers. Folding his wings back he arched out into the sky from underneath the dragon's tail, yelling loudly to attract Smaug's attention.

In the park below, the members of the Company with ranged attacks were doing their best to distract Smaug while Nori tried to upload the virus. Bofur drew the dragon closer to the ground, where Kíli's arrows found purchase in it's metal hide. Fíli was beside his brother, firing small spiked caltrops with a modified sling. Balin shaped rocks into jagged spikes and sent them flying at the dragon's tail, while Bifur used his sonic powers to draw attention away from Bofur and confuse the monster.

"Trouble, guys!" Dís' voice sounded through their coms. "Azog and Bolg are heading in from the east!"

Dwalin's knuckle-dusters extended from his hands. "Finally somethin' for me to punch." He met Ori's eyes and frowned. "Ya should find a place to hide."

Thorin agreed, "Bilbo, go invis and keep and eye on things. Let Oín know if anyone needs healing." Bilbo nodded and vanished.

"Be careful, Dwalin." Ori said with a slight blush before hurrying to stand in the retaliative safety near Fíli and Kíli.

Azog stormed over the hill, frost crackling along his skin. He held a long ice pike in one hand, the other glowing faintly blue as he used his powers to draw the moisture from the air and turn it into tiny ice bullets. "Ready to play, Oakenshield?" He through his hand forward, a dozen of the ice bullets shooting towards the Company.

Thorin shifted the bulk of his body to steel and blocked the oncoming projectiles from hitting anyone else. "We don't have time for this Azog!"

"No? Too bad. You ain't going anywhere!" Azog wrapped Thorin's body in ice, the metal of his shifted body contracting until the joints refused to move and he was frozen in place.

Dwalin shouted his friend's name as a war cry and rushed into the fight. Azog hefted his ice spear and met the charge, forcing the spear deep into Dwalin's torso and pinning him to the ground with it. Dwalin cried out as his body attempted to regenerate around the weapon still impaling him.

Ori screamed and started to rush to Dwalin's aid, but was caught by one of Gloín's hands. "Stay here, boy. You'll do no good if you get yourself killed."

Dori saw his youngest brother start to resist and stepped in. "I've got it, Ori. Stay safe." He rushed at Azog, knocking him back with a solid punch before turning and pulling the ice spear from Dwalin's chest. The wound began to knit itself back together and by the time Azog righted himself, Dwalin was back on his feet.

Gloín engaged Bolg, grappling the villain to the ground and pinning him roughly. Bolg responded by charging his skin, sending sparks of electricity into Gloín that sent him sailing backwards.

"Gloín!" Loni yelled. "He's unconscious!" Her worry distracted her and Bolg hit her soundly with a bolt of lightening, searing her flesh and sending her to the pavement.

Bombur ran in, gaining momentum as he went, and plowed into Bolg with all his force. The impact barely slowed him down and they both went careening into a nearby hillside.

Bilbo took advantage of the distraction and drug Loni to Gloín's side. A faint prickling sensation on the back of his neck drew his attention, but he ignored it as he rushed to get Oín. "Watch my back," the healer said as he summoned his powers, tracing his fingers over the scorched flesh and working it back together. Loni was conscious in a matter of minutes, but so dazed with pain she could barely focus her own powers. "Sorry, lass. You'll have to suffer through it for now, I need to see to your husband."

While the fight on the ground continued to rage, Nori managed to climb his way along Smaug's body with the help of the arrows imbedded in the metal. He wrapped his legs around the base of the dragon's left wing and took a deep breath before swinging himself upside down. Hanging by his legs, the thief ran his hands along the scales on Smaug's chest, finding the one that swiveled and opening it. Grabbing the USB drive from around his neck, Nori plugged it into the port, then whispered into his com unit, "Upload in progress!"

"I read you, Nori! Hang tight up there," Dís' voice said in his ear. "25 seconds to go... 20..."

Smaug roared, his sensors alerting him to the pending upload. "You cannot stop me! I fight for the good of the humans! I will not be defeated!" The dragon banked in the air and rolled, going belly-up in attempt to dislodge Nori his perch. The thief screamed and clamped his legs tighter, his fingers clawing for purchase against the smooth metal scales. "You will fall, little parasite, and then I will destroy you!"

"10 seconds, Nori... 5, 4, 3, 2, 1... Get out of there! Upload complete! I repeat, upload complete!"

Smaug twisted his neck and lunged, his teeth snapping dangerously close to Nori's head. With a quick prayer to a god he didn't believe it, Nori let go and fell towards the earth. As the ground closed in he pulled the rip cord and the small parachute Dís designed shot out to slow his fall. He hit the ground hard and the parachute tangled around his legs, knocking him over.

Bolg strode through the clearing, lightening crackling over the surface of his skin. Behind him, Bombur struggled to right himself after taking a heavy dose of electricity. On the other side of the field Dwalin and Dori grappled with Azog. Dori bleed heavily from a gash on his shoulder, while Dwalin used himself as a shield, his body healing itself after every painful blow. Bofur darted through the skies, still taunting Smaug as Fíli, Kíli, and Bifur attacked the dragon. Balin was at Thorin's side, loosening the ice which froze him in place, while Oín and Bilbo looked after Gloín and Loni, who were too injured to fight.

Nori was dazed from his fall and tripped up in the parachute. He saw Bolg coming towards him and struggled to free himself, calling out for help when he realized he was truly stuck. "Dori!"

The eldest Rill turned, suffering a sharp blow to the leg for his distraction, and saw the danger his brother was in. "Nori!" He tried to run, but was too far away. Nori was trapped and powerless.

Bolg stood over Nori, electricity sparking off his fingertips. "Puny humans without powers have no place here. I'm gonna make a crispy example outta you." He laughed wickedly. "I'm gonna fry the flesh off your body until there ain't nothing left but your bones." Dangerous voltage sizzled audibly as Bolg reached towards the thief's face. Nori bit off a whimper, his jaw dropping as Bolg's eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed to the ground.

Ori stood behind Bolg's prone body, one of his gloves discarded on the ground at his feet. His bare hand was covered from fingertips to elbow with scars and brightly glowing runes that seemed to pulse with power. "Don't mess with my family." He turned and strode angrily across the field towards Azog, completely unaware that all eyes were on him. "And you. You think you're untouchable. Your ice is melting Azog, and I think we all know that water and power don't mix." A sharp bolt of lightening shot out of his hand, hitting Azog square in the chest and tossing him to the ground where he lay smoldering and unmoving.

Discharging the power seemed to drain Ori and he lost his footing and fell to his knees.

"Ori!" Dwalin was at his side, reaching to pull him upright.

"Stop!" Dori shouted in warning. "Don't touch his hands!"

Mindful of Ori's hands, Dwalin scooped the boy up and cradled him close. Nori rushed over with the discarded glove and carefully slid it back onto his brother's hand.

In the air, Smaug let out a horrible screech and clawed at the air. "What did you do? I am Smaug the terrible! You cannot hurt me!" The dragon fought for control of his wings, pitching awkwardly in the sky. "Whatever you did, I will undo. You cannot defeat me! I am fighting for the good of all humans. I will destroy you! I will _kill_ you!" Smaug turned and flew slowly away from the park, towards whatever lair he had found for himself.

Thorin shifted his body back to its normal state and looked around the desolated park. "We need to get back to Erebor Tower and see to the wounded." He glared darkly at Ori before turning walking away. The other Supers helped each other to their feet and followed their leader across the field..

Nori and Dori exchanged a long, worried look before heading towards home.

...

* * *

...

**A/N: So... what did you think? Did you notice the change in Smaug? Do you think the Company has defeated him? And what about Ori? The plot thickens!**


	14. Origins: Balin

Origins: Balin

…

Balin was everything she had ever hoped for in a husband- solid and steady and true. He treated her like a princess, always bringing her flowers and trinkets and leaving romantic notes on her pillow when he left for work in the morning. He was fiercely devoted, quietly passionate, and madly in love with her. She thought he hung the moon.

They had been set up on a blind date by a mutual friend and fell head over heals with each other. Eight months later that same friend stood as the maid of honor at their wedding. They bought a tiny house on the edge of town and filled it was happiness and laughter. The mantle over the fireplace was covered in photographs of them at various parties and picnics and holiday events- always together, always smiling. Soon after the wedding she announced they were pregnant and he danced her around the house, sobbing in his happiness.

The world outside was growing stranger and the newspapers began to tell stories of children developing unnatural powers. She was frightened and prayed every night for her unborn child to grow up healthy and normal. Neither she nor Balin had anything unusual in their families, so she was hopeful for their offspring. Balin asked her once what she would do if their child developed powers. She had cried so hard that he never asked again.

Balin was a good husband and boasted his excitement about becoming a father. He would run to the market late at night to feed her cravings and rubbed her swollen feet when she could no longer reach them. Even after long days at work he would rest a book on her belly and read fairy tales to his unborn child.

She was thrilled when the jeweler Balin worked for gave him a bonus, and used the money to decorate the nursery in shades of pale yellow and mint green. They spent countless nights pouring over books of baby names before finally deciding on Vigg for a boy or Nali for a girl. She daydreamed about family dinners, long walks in the park, and trips to the toy store. She could picture a smiling child who loved his mommy and thought his daddy hung the moon.

A month before the baby was due she received a call from the hospital. There had been an accident at the jeweler's shop and Balin had been injured. She rushed to the emergency room as fast as her swollen belly would allow and wept with relief when he smiled at her from the hospital bed. A stone Balin was cutting had ruptured and tiny pieces were imbedded in his arms. There would be scars, but he would be fine. She took him home and promised his new scars wouldn't change how much she loved him.

Two weeks later they sat together on the porch swing and talked about their future. The baby would be arriving soon and they wanted to give it a sister or brother as soon as possible. Her dream was three children, a house with a yard, and Balin at her side. She turned to tell him how happy she was, but Balin was staring at the ground, muttering under his breath with a frown. Without warning several pebbles from the garden path leaped into the air and floated in front of them, spinning in time with Balin's raised hand.

In an instant her perfect world shattered and she jumped up, pushing him away. He looked startled and hurt, but she couldn't bring herself to care. Her beloved husband had powers. Unnatural, horrifying powers. She couldn't -wouldn't- deal with that.

Balin begged and pleaded with her, proclaiming his love and reminding her of their plans for the future. She pretended to listen, afraid of what his new powers might make him do, but there was no love left in her heart. How could she care for someone so grotesque, someone with something so vile inside of him? This man was not her husband. Her husband was dead. She packed her bags and left that night, leaving him sobbing in the doorway to the nursery.

A taxi picked her up and took her straight to the hospital, where she lay retching and sobbing for two days until the baby came. He was tiny and wrinkled and pink, and she called him Vigg on the birth certificate. She refused to give Balin's name or her own, and slipped out during the night, leaving the child behind. She couldn't bear to look at him.

Years later she saw Balin's name in the newspaper, as part of a team of Supers who had saved a bus of children from the local orphanage. She stared hard at the accompanying photograph of her once-husband, standing proud with a dozen little faces beaming up at him, like he hung the moon. For a brief moment she thought of what their lives could have been, then crumpled up the newspaper and threw it away. It would be better if Balin never knew that one of the children he saved was probably his own.

...

* * *

...

**A/N: I know a lot of you were expecting to see Ori's origin this chapter... rest assured, his chapter is coming up (though it's not actually about his origin), it just has to come after a very specific moment in the story (yes, even more Ori-centric than this chapter!). But stay tuned Wednesday to find out what sort of fall out there is after the battle with Smaug! We'll also see if Ori is okay and find out a LOT more about his power!**


	15. Not All Powers Are a Gift

Ori was unconscious, or perhaps he had just shut down, it was difficult to tell. Oín paced the length of the room, exhausted after healing the others, but unable to rest while the boy was still not right. He might be hurt, or he might not. There was really no way of knowing without being able to touch him. Oín wasn't stupid. He wasn't going to touch the boy's hands or any such nonsense, just his head to see what was going on. But the older Rill brothers were insistent that he not use his powers. So, Ori slept, fingers twitching sporadically and lips moving like he was voicing a silent prayer. And at loss of what else to do, Oín paced.

…

Dori watched his baby brother sleep and fretted as Ori cried out, face pinching in a combination of rage and agony. Dwalin sat near Ori's head, stroking the coppery hair gently and murmuring quiet promises under his breath.

"Is it always this bad when he uses his power?" Bilbo asked softly.

"It's only happened a few times," Dori admitted. "But it's always this bad. Sometimes worse."

"What exactly is happening? I mean, it was obvious that he took Bolg's power and used it, but..."

"This isn't really my story to tell, but given the circumstances, I don't think Ori will mind," Dori said with a sigh. "When Ori was 14 he woke up one morning with strange runes on his hands and arms. I was at work, but Nori was home with a horrible hangover. Without thinking he grabbed Ori's hands to inspect them and ended up unconscious for two days. And Ori had absorbed his hangover and the ability to pick locks. We learned through a couple of bad experiences that when Ori's runes touch someone he drains their essence and absorbs their powers or skills. He also takes on whatever the person is feeling at the exact moment they touch."

Bilbo considered that for a moment before speaking. "And the longer the contact, the more he absorbs?"

"It seems that way, though we've tried not to test it too much. That's why he never takes his gloves off unless he's alone. He even sleeps in them, just to be safe." Fretting his hands together Dori continued, "It's worse when someone touches him. At least if Ori initiates it, he feels a bit more in control. It's less frightening for him that way. But it's never easy."

"Is he going to be all right?" Dwalin finally asked. "He never has to use his powers again as far as I'm concerned, just so long as he wakes up and is all right."

Dori shrugged and gave a half smile. "My best guess is that he'll wake up sometime later tonight, but I'm going to warn you now that it might not be pretty. His body is exhausted from housing powers it's not supposed to have. The more he uses, the worse it is. My biggest fear is that if he used too much he could burn himself up."

Dwalin nodded, his eyes dark. "We'll let him rest all he needs then. But somethin' tells me there's more ya ain't sayin'..."

"He took Bolg's feelings as well as his power and Bolg was _angry_. Some of that anger bled out when he used the power, but the rest is still in his head. Ori knows its not his own feelings, but it's still there and he still has to deal with it. It takes a huge toll on his emotions. The first few times it happened he was a wreck. The last..."

"The last...?" Dwalin pressed, worry forming deep creases between his eyes.

Dori shook his head. "No. That's a story Ori will have to tell you when he's ready. For now, let's focus on hoping he wakes up."

...

Nori sat on one of the couches with his knees pulled to his chest. He rocked slightly, never taking his eyes off his brother, though never fully focusing on him either.

"I'm sure Ori will be okay," Bofur said softly, folding his wings over the back of the couch and sitting down next to Nori.

"What if he's not?" He turned and faced his friend, eyes searching for reassurance. "He doesn't use his powers for a reason! It's too hard on him!"

"He knew what he was doing. I'm sure he wouldn't have used them unless he knew he could handle it."

"He did it to save me!" Tears welled in Nori's eyes and ran down his cheeks. "He should have just let Bolg kill me. He should have let me die..."

"No! Don't say that!" Bofur pulled the thief into his arms, clutching him tightly and placing gentle kisses along his hairline. "Don't ever say that. Don't yeh dare leave me."

Nori buried his face in Bofur's shirt and held on like his life depended on it.

…

"The boy is powerful, Dís. Potentially more powerful than anyone else in the Company." Thorin sat at the table and stared at his sister intently. "They should have told us about his power! We could have used him!"

"That's precisely why they didn't tell us, lad," Balin said with a frown. "That child could be a weapon in the wrong hands."

"But we're at war here! Smaug is trying to kill us all! Surely we should use every tool at our disposal!"

"He's not a tool, Thorin! He's a boy!" Dís slammed her hand down on the table, causing her brother to jump. "What would you do if it were Fíli? Or Kíli? Ori isn't much older than they are. What would you do if it were one of them with a power that tore them apart every time they used it? Would you ask that of your own kin?"

"But it's not the boys! They have their own skills and powers..."

"I asked you a question, Thorin. If it were the boys would you ask them to use a dangerous power?"

"No," he sighed. "I wouldn't force them to do anything that I knew would hurt them."

"But they'd do it anyway," Balin spoke up. "Those boys would follow you to the ends of the earth an' then bury themselves beside your grave."

"I didn't ask for that loyalty. I didn't ask for this responsibility." Thorin lowered his head and rested it on the tabletop. "I don't know what to do."

Dís laid a hand on her brother's arm and squeezed it gently. "Let Ori make up his own mind. He knows his power better than anyone. He knows what he can handle."

Balin murmured his agreement and for once, Thorin didn't argue.

…

"If it were my power, I'd use it," Gloín said, cracking one set of knuckles. "Take whatever power you wanted, use it, and then throw it away."

Bombur frowned, "But it hurts him. Dori said it messes with his head _and_ his body. Why would you want a power that hurt you?"

"Because you could be unstoppable if you figured out how to use it right!" Gloín waved a first at Bombur.

"I'm unstoppable once I get moving and I can tell you that it isn't always what it's cracked up to be. Once you get going it's difficult to tell who might get in your path and end up hurt."

Bifur tapped his hand on the table to get their attention. He made a few angry signs and then looked over at Loni.

"He says that if he could choose not to use his power, he would. He'd give it all up just to be able to speak again."

Bombur watched his cousin make a few more rough signs. "You're right, Bifur. Not all powers are a gift."

...

When Ori finally came-to, the moon was high in the sky and most of the Company was long since asleep. Only his brothers, Bilbo, Dwalin, and Bofur remained awake and at his side.

"Nori?" The boy cried out, struggling to sit up and open his eyes. "Nori?"

"I'm here, I'm alive!" He moved quickly to his brother's side and helped him sit up. "We've all alive."

Ori tucked his still injured arm tightly against his chest and whimpered softly. "He's still in my head."

"I know, but it'll be over soon. It could be worse... you could have me in your head again." Nori forced a laugh, trying at a joke that fell flat.

"I didn't want to use my powers, but he was going to kill you." His face contorted in pain and he curled around himself. "It hurts so bad..."

Dori moved to his youngest brother's other side and carefully stroked the hair back from his face. "It's all right, little one. I know it hurts, but you'll be fine."

"Bolg was so angry. And I was angry too. I am so tired of people underestimating me, but I can't do anything about it because my powers are horrible. I just wanted to stop Bolg from killing Nori, but it was so easy to use the powers once he was in my head."

"You did great. You stopped the bad guys and saved my life." Nori gave his brother a strained smile.

"I only touched him for a second, just enough to knock him out." Ori's lips curled into a slightly menacing smile. "Bolg doesn't realize how much power he has. There's a whole reservoir of electricity inside him that he doesn't even know about. I only took the smallest taste of it..."

"Stop that now, Ori," Dori snapped, trying to hide his worry. "You're confusing Bolg's feelings with your own. You're not power hungry. Focus!"

He blinked, his eyes clearing slightly. "I'm so sorry, Dori! I didn't mean it! It's difficult to focus... hurts..."

"It's all right, no one is upset with you. We just want you to feel better."

Ori let out a small mewling cry and curled himself into a ball. "It's like Bolg's feelings know they don't belong in my head and they're pounding at the walls, trying to get out."

"Just take a deep breath and let it work itself out," Nori rubbed soothing circles on his brother's back. "We're right here with you."

"Thank you," Ori whispered. Looking up, he suddenly realized it wasn't just his brothers in the room with him. "Oh no! No, no, no!"

"What's wrong!?" Dori asked, as the youngest Rill tried to scramble over the back of the couch in panic. "Sit still! Talk to us!"

"Everyone knows, don't they?" Tears ran unchecked from Ori's eyes and wiped at them with one of his gloves. "They all saw what I can do."

Bilbo nodded and slowly reached out to pat his friend's shoulder. "We don't care though. You're still you. Nothing's changed."

"Well, not nothing. I doubt anyone will be teasing yeh about yer gloves any time soon," Bofur said with a kind smile. "But what yeh do with yer powers is yer own business."

"Really?" Ori sniffled, a look of hope breaking through the fear on his face. "What if Thorin tries to make me use my powers?"

"He can't _make_ you do anything!" Bilbo exclaimed. "Your powers, your choice!"

"But he's let me stay here. And I lied to everyone..."

"If he pushes you, just touch him once," Nori smirked. "Trust me, being knocked out and having your abilities stolen really sucks."

Ori sighed and rubbed at his forehead. "I think it's starting to fade. I'm glad I only took a little of his powers. I don't want to think about what would have happened if I'd have taken more..."

"It didn't happen, so don't worry yourself," Dori tutted brusquely. "We'll make sure you don't ever have to use your powers again."

"Thanks, Dori." He leaned into his brother for a hug. "I feel a lot better now. You should go get some sleep, you look exhausted."

"If you're sure you're okay..." Dori stood up and stretched out his shoulders. "I'll see you in the morning, little one. You know where I am if you need me."

Ori managed a smile at his brother, then peered over at Dwalin who had been sitting silently through the entire conversation.

Bofur took the hint. "Come on, thief, let's go out on the balcony an' get some fresh air. I need t' stretch my wings..." He pulled Nori to his feet and towards the door outside.

"Err, yes... I do believe I should get some sleep as well..." Bilbo stuttered, patting Ori's shoulder in encouragement before heading down the hall.

…

"You've not said a word since I've been awake," Ori said, his voice sounding tired and defeated.

"What would ya have me say?" Dwalin replied softly, breaking his silence.

"Anything." He wiped at a stray tear and leaned back against the couch cushions. "I was expecting you to be angry or hurt. I don't know how to handle the silence. I'd rather we just get this over with."

"Get what over with? What do ya think is going to happen?"

Ori heaved a shaky sigh. "We're sort of... together... But I lied to you. I lied about having powers and about why I wore gloves all the time and about everything."

"Ya lied about everythin'?" Dwalin cocked a brow slightly.

"Well, no, I suppose not. Really I just lied about the whole power thing..."

"When ya hurt yer arm Nori said ya wouldn't let Oín heal ya because ya were jealous of our powers..."

"Jealous of useful powers maybe." He let out a small, dejected whimper. "I just didn't want anyone to find out."

"What did ya think would happen if we found out? Besides Thorin wantin' to use yer powers."

"I thought everyone would be mad at me for lying." Ori paused and when he continued his voice was barely a whisper. "And you wouldn't want to be with me anymore."

Dwalin was out of his chair in an instant, kneeling before Ori and tilting his face up so they were eye to eye. "Why would ya think yer powers would make me not want ya?"

"You don't know what it's like not to be able to touch! I can hold your hand just fine with my gloves on, but I'll never know how your skin would feel on mine. I can't trace your tattoos with my fingertips. I can't know what it's like for you to kiss my palm. I can't properly _touch_ you! How are we supposed to be together – to do all the things couples do – when I'm like this?!"

Dwalin blinked and sat back on his heels, clearly startled by the boy's passion. "The runes that drain powers are only on yer hands?"

"Up to my elbows. That's why I'm always covered up."

"So, the rest of yer body is fine? The skin is normal? There's no other secrets I should know about?"

"Well, no," Ori admitted, looking confused.

"Then keep yer gloves on." Dwalin said with a shrug and a grin. "There's a lot we can do without usin' our hands. And besides... I think I'd enjoy yer gloves against my skin."

Ori flushed deeply and bit his lip. "So you still want to be with me? Even though my power is horrible?"

"Nothin' about ya could ever be horrible." Dwalin leaned forward and captured Ori's mouth in a brief, heady kiss. "Once yer feelin' better I'll prove it to ya. But I think it'd be best if ya rested now."

"Stay with me?" Ori's gloved hand clasped tightly around the other man's arm. "Please?"

Dwalin moved onto the couch and leaned back, pulling Ori to lay down beside him. "I ain't goin' anywhere, lad. Get some sleep."

Ori relaxed in his embrace, his breath slowly evening out as he drifted off to sleep. Dwalin stayed awake long into the night, holding Ori close and hoping his presence would keep the nightmares at bay.

…

Out on the balcony, Nori and Bofur gazed down at the twinkling lights of the cityscape.

"Everything looks so peaceful," Bofur said softly, "It's hard t' believe that Smaug is out there somewhere wanting t' kill us."

"Well, believe it, birdbrain. Unless Dís' virus worked that dragon is gonna keep coming after us." He shivered in the cool night air.

Bofur shifted his wings, wrapping one around Nori to block out the chill. "I'm glad yer brother is all right."

"Me too. Though I hope he never has to use his powers again." He traced a finger over the downy feathers on the underside of Bofur's wing. "We keep coming so close to loosing everything. I don't see how anyone is suppose to keep living like this. It's too-"

"Stop talking, thief," Bofur murmured, then sealed his lips against Nori's own.

Nori leaned into the kiss, his fingers continuing to stroke over the soft feathers. He made a content noise deep in his throat, but when they broke apart he pulled back, looking nervous. "I, uh, I'd better go check on my brother..." He ducked out from under Bofur's wing and backed up slowly. "I'll see you later? Yeah?" Without waiting for a response he hurried back through the door, leaving Bofur alone in the darkness.

...

* * *

...

**A/N: What did you guys think of Ori's backstory and power? A few of you guessed that his gloves concealed a very Rogue-ish power and you were right! Lucky for him it only affects his hands/arms. So far the good 'ship Dwori seems to be holding steady. But will it last under the strain of Ori's power? And what about Nori and Bofur? Did that kiss mess up their friendship? And how awesome is it to see Dis put Thorin in his place? See you guys on Friday- Same bat time, same bat channel!**


	16. Origins: Fíli

Origins: Fíli

…

Fíli Durin loved public high school. He loved being around kids his own age, loved the retaliative anonymity, loved the brief hours a day where he could be normal.

Fíli was anything but normal. He discovered his powers the summer he turned fourteen and accidentally bested his Uncle at hand-to-hand combat. Both Fíli and his brother had been taught self-defense since they were children, but neither had more than a rudimentary skill at it. When he preformed a twisting leg sweep, his Uncle looked up from the floor with a proud grin.

His powers were combat perception- he was a polymath. Fíli could watch a fighting style and master it in a few short hours, oftentimes less. He'd spent his entire life observing his Uncle and the other members of the Company training and their fighting techniques became second nature to him without his even realizing it. Paired with his increased durability, it was a good power to have. It made him useful, tough in a fight. It made him a Super.

But as a teenager there was more to life than fighting villains and although homeschooling was an option, both Durin boys stayed in public school. Fíli studied hard and made decent marks, but never really excelled at academics. But he made friends, dated girls, and joined clubs. He enjoyed being just another face in the crowd.

Sure, there was the occasional drama- kidnapping attempts and treats to their lives. The nephews of Oakenshield would have made good bait or bargaining chips to the right villain. But the Durin boys were not so easily broken and the no one never expected Fíli to fight back with such skill. The harder the villains tried, the more Fíli realized he needed to use his powers to stay safe and to keep his brother from harm.

So, while his friends went to the movies, he watched martial arts videos and mastered Capoeira in an afternoon. When it came time to try out for the varsity soccer team, he missed his chance because he was too busy perfecting his aim with throwing axes. Instead of taking the pretty redhead from science class to prom, he stayed home and read books of Samurai fighting stances.

Over time Fíli drifted apart from his friends and the girls stopped calling him for dates. There was no time for after school clubs, because he was finally deemed old enough to officially join the Company. He graduated high school, but while all his classmates made plans for college and beyond, Fíli did not. He couldn't pretend that there was a life for him outside the Company.

Fíli Durin could never be normal. He was Super.

...


	17. A Passing Shadow

**A/N: We're back! Now to see if the Company's plan to use the virus to disable Smaug worked! Also... I promised some of you a Bagginshield moment, so... this might not be exactly what you wanted, but it's something. ;) Also- more Ori and Bilbo friendship moments and Dwori being stupid-adorable.**

...

* * *

...

For three days the Company saw neither hide nor scale of Smaug. The newspapers told of the comings and goings of the everyday world, but there was not a single mention of the dragon, Supers, or even crime. Ori was unnerved by the change in the papers, claiming that there should have been cursory articles about the battle in the park. But nothing was written in The Daily Portents or in any other newspaper. Everything was still and quiet.

"Perhaps the worst is behind us now," Bilbo hazarded from where he sat in an overstuffed armchair with a mug of tea.

"It's more likely the calm before the storm," Thorin replied absently. He and Dwalin had set up an old ping-pong table near the windows and were engaged in a heated match.

Dwalin took advantage of Thorin's momentary distraction and scored a point. "Ha! Take that Oakenshield!" He grinned over at Ori, who was curled on the couch with his sketchbook. "Yer my good luck charm, lad."

Ori flushed slightly, but blew a kiss at Dwalin, who pretended to catch it.

"You two are sickeningly sweet." Bilbo smirked at his friend.

"I'm sorry," He started, then thought better of it. "No. Actually I'm not. I'm happy."

Bilbo laughed. "And I'm glad for you. Truly I am."

"But also a little jealous?"

"Yes, well, it's only natural to want someone to be with."

Ori lowered his voice and grinned coyly. "And if that someone happened to be Thorin Durin..."

Bilbo blushed and felt himself start to fade. Focusing on remaining visible he looked down at his hands. "Am I that obvious?"

"I'm a reporter. Or, I was..." He shrugged and toyed with the silver pen in his hand. "Watching people is part of the job. I doubt anyone else has noticed."

"Oh, good. Because it's bad enough that I'm practically a squatter here. I would really rather everyone not know I harbor a bit of a crush on your illustrious leader."

"I doubt anyone would hold it against you." Ori laughed brightly. "Most of the Company pretty much lives in tight spandex. It's eye candy if that's your persuasion."

"That's certainly true!" He looked back to where Thorin was leaning forward over the ping-pong table, the blue spandex hugging the curves of his ass.

"And you're not a squatter, you know." Ori eyed Dwalin's muscular form over the top of his notebook and tried to act blithe. "I think we've both been unofficially added to the roster. You're part of the Company now."

"I'm not a Super."

"Neither am I, but if Smaug comes back it'll be war."

"Will you use your powers then?"

Ori sighed and fidgeted with his gloves. "I really don't know."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, watching the ping-pong ball sail back and forth across the table.

"You should make the first move," Ori said finally.

"The first move?"

"With Thorin. He's too caught up with the whole Smaug thing to realize you're interested. I think you'd be good for him."

"I'm quite certain I don't want to embarrass myself like that. He'd probably just turn me down."

"I wouldn't be too sure of that," Ori said mysteriously, then got to his feet, leaving his sketchbook behind. Walking to the ping-pong table, he nudged Dwalin with his shoulder. "Teach me to play?"

The big man smiled. "Sure!" He gave Thorin an obvious look. "Do ya mind?"

"Not at all," Thorin laughed. "I think I'll join our burglar. If that's all right with him..."

"Of course," Bilbo replied a little too quickly.

Dwalin handed one of the ping-pong paddles to Ori, then slid his arms around the boy in order to move him into the proper stance. Ori leaned back against him, pressing their bodies flush. Although he clutched a paddle in his gloved fist, neither made a move to actually play the game as Dwalin's lips found their way to Ori's neck.

"Why do I think this has less to do with ping-pong and more an excuse for them to make out?" Thorin said with an amused smile.

"Because that's exactly that is is," Bilbo laughed. "I'm glad they're happy though."

"As am I. Dwalin and I have been friends since school. I've never seen him this taken with anyone."

They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes before Thorin picked up Ori's discarded sketchbook and began flipping through it. "These are quite good..."

Bilbo moved to the couch next to Thorin and peered down at the drawings. The first page showed Fíli and Kíli fighting back-to-back against an unseen foe. The playful smirk on Kíli's face was perfectly captured, as were all the details of Fíli's weapons. "Goodness! I've seen Ori's sketches in the newspaper, but these are amazing!"

The next sketch was Bofur with his wings extended fully, as if getting ready to take flight. To his left was Bombur, body tilted forward as if he were mid-run. To the right was Bifur. The mask that now covered the lower half of his face was missing, and instead his lips were quirked in a gentle smile. "This was before the fight with Balrog when Bifur got injured," Thorin said, pointing at the page. "I'm almost forgotten how often he used to smile." He turned the page to reveal a drawing of himself, his left arm shifted to the solid oak he took his code name from. "This one isn't as accurate as the others."

Bilbo looked closely at the drawing and frowned. "Why do you say that?"

"Because he's made me look..." Thorin gestured with his hand, seemingly lost for words.

"Strong? Majestic? Attractive?" Bilbo suggested before he could think better of it. "The sketch looks perfectly fine to me."

Thorin looked at the sketchbook, then up at Bilbo. "Did you just call me attractive?"

"I suppose I did." He held Thorin's gaze, even though he could feel the tips of his ears start to redden. His body wanted to vanish, but he held firm.

"Huh."

Bilbo waited a moment for Thorin to continue speaking, but when nothing more was said he snapped indignantly, "Huh. That's it? That's not typically the response you give when someone admits to being attracted to you."

"What's the typical response then?"

"Either validation that the attraction is mutual, or a kind rejection."

Thorin stared at Bilbo as if seeing him for the first time. "I don't find you disagreeable..."

"You don't find me disagreeable...? Well, that's certainly romantic and good to know." He flushed bright red and stood up, brushing off his slacks. "I do believe I'm going to go rest for a bit. After all, I'll need my beauty sleep if I'm to stay vaguely agreeable!" With a derisive snort Bilbo stormed off down the hall, leaving a confused looking Thorin behind.

"What just happened?" Thorin asked after a moment.

"Ya were _very_ smooth, Oakenshield," Dwalin answered with a chuckle. "It's no wonder yer single."

"I think Bilbo's feelings were hurt. I should go see if he's all right." Ori started to move away, but Dwalin caught him by the hips and pulled him back.

"This is Thorin's mess, lad. We'd best let him clean it up."

…

Unsure of how to deal with the awkward Bilbo situation, Thorin went to the computer and took over monitoring the screens. Ever since the Smaug attacks started, the Company had cut out their patrols and instead keep watch over the city by tapping into security cameras. Each monitor on the wall showed a different part of the city and automatically switching to a different camera view every five seconds. It wasn't the same as actually being out on patrol, but it was safer for everyone involved.

Dís took the chair beside her brother, rubbing the grease from her fingers with a rag. "I just finished making another batch of shock arrows for Kíli. They didn't seem to damage Smaug any, but they certainly helped distract him."

"Good. Hopefully he won't need to use them though. There's still been no sign of Smaug since we uploaded your virus into him. Maybe it worked."

"I don't know." She sighed, scrubbing hard at her hands. "There was a bit of tracking code in the virus, but the trail went cold four hours after the upload. It could mean that Smaug is deactivated, or it could mean that he somehow overwrote my coding."

"At some point we'll have to go out there and find out," Thorin said as he stared at the screens.

"At some point, but not tonight. Everyone deserves time to rest." Dís glanced over at him with a sly smirk. "Speaking of resting, I hear that our burglar is hiding in his room to avoid you."

Thorin cursed under his breath. "I might have mucked that up a bit."

"Might have?"

"Okay, I made a complete ass of myself." He let out a heavy sigh. "Of course I've noticed him. It'd be difficult not to, he's..."

"Adorable?" Dís supplied with a laugh.

"Well, yes, but it's more than that. He has some courage and some wisdom, blended in measure. He saved me from Azog. He's been helping us even though he'd have every right just to hide away and keep himself safe. This wasn't his fight."

"He's part of the team now."

"Yes! And we've been so busy with Smaug that I tried not to let my thoughts go beyond that."

"So, when Bilbo told you he was interested, it caught you completely off guard?"

"Exactly!" His fist shifted to steel and he slammed it down on the desktop for emphasis.

"You'll have to figure out what you want to do. Apologize to him if nothing else."

"I know. I've never been good at relationships and I think my people skills have gotten..."

"Gotten what? Thorin?"

Thorin stood suddenly and typed something on the keyboard, pulling one of the security camera feeds up on the large screen. "Shit."

On the monitor Smaug swooped out of the sky, metallic scales glinting in the fading light. The dragon banked over the heart of the city and turned eastward, stopping half a dozen blocks from Erebor Tower and landing hard in the center of the street.

"Damn it! I was hoping my virus had worked."

"The odds were always against us," Thorin sighed. "Assemble the others."

"Up and at 'em, guys!" Dís called over the intercom system. "Smaug is still active. We're not going to engage, but everyone needs to be ready just in case!"

The Company crowded around the monitors with concern and watched the dragon, who appeared to be staring at a white-cloaked figure standing in the intersection.

"What's going on? Kíli asked, leaning in to get a better look. "Who's that guy down there?"

Fíli smacked his brother's arm. "Stop blocking the view, jerk." Kíli glared at him, but sat back.

"I can't find a closer camera to patch in to. I might be able to pick up a bit of audio though..." Dís quickly typed a few command lines onto her keyboard. After a moment, a static blurred audio feed could be heard.

"Do you truly think you can defeat me?" Smaug's metallic voice came through the speakers. "I am the fire that will cleanse the world of the Supers."

"You may be self-aware, Smaug, but there is still much you do not know about being alive." The mysterious figure made a swooping gesture with his arm as he spoke. "You are only a passing shadow and when the sun comes, it will shine out clearer."

"Why should I believe you, old man?" Smaug let out a cackling laugh, a thin stream of smoke releasing through the vents on his snout. "I have defeated the Supers before and I will continue to do so until they are nothing but ash in the wake of my fire."

"They will win in the end, dragon. They will win because they know there is good in this world that's worth fighting for."

"I am doing this for the good of the world. I will be the desolation of those with powers so that humankind will be safe."

"And do you think the humans will thank you? Do you think they will call you hero after you've killed so many? They will hate you, dragon. They will _fear_ you!"

Smaug reared back and let out an angry roar. "They will worship me!"

A jet of fire shot from the dragon's maw, straight at the hooded man. "There may be a day when mankind will pray to a metal god, but this is not this day. Begone, dragon!" The flames spread around the man as though he were protected by an invisible shield.

Letting out another roar, Smaug swung one of his clawed feet at the man. The attack never landed as the man's shield stopped the dragon in his tracks. "You will pay for this, old man!" With one last blast of flame, Smaug turned on his heals and took off into the darkening sky.

From the safety of Erebor Tower, Bifur put a hand on Dís' arm to draw her attention. He pointed to the monitor, then gestured sharply at his ears.

Dís stared at the screen with a frown. "You're right, Bifur. I can't place it, but I recognize that man's voice too..."

"He can block dragon fire," Fíli exclaimed, grinning madly at his uncle. "We need his help!"

"I agree with the lad," Balin said with a slight frown. "If Smaug is still active, we'll need all the help we can get."

Thorin nodded thoughtfully. "Nori, Kíli... go see if you can bring the man to us. If you need assistance we'll send the rest of your team, but I'd rather keep anyone with powers here unless it's absolutely necessary."

Kíli smiled brightly and grabbed his bow. "No problem! NPs to the rescue."

Nori rolled his eyes, but followed the boy to the elevator.

…

The rest of the Company watched on the monitors as Kíli and Nori exited the building and walked the six blocks to where the mysterious man seemed to be waiting for them. Over the audio feed they could hear Nori's muffled curse of surprise and the awe in Kíli's greeting, but no one knew why until the elevator opened and their new guest stepped out.

"Gandalf the Grey." Thorin's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "It cannot be. We saw you die."

The old man smiled softly and blushed at his pristine robes. "It's Gandalf the White now, and I can assure you I am very much alive."

"But how?" Dwalin rumbled, his eyes flashing in distrust.

"Ah, that is the question isn't it? But the answer is neither here nor there, and I'm afraid I don't quite know."

"You don't know?" Bilbo asked from where he had been sitting quietly off to the side. "You were a pile of ash and now you're here. You have to have some idea."

Gandalf ran a hand over his beard. "The last thing I remember was fighting Balrog and then the feeling of falling into nothingness. When I awoke I was on the roof of a tall building, dressed in white. I felt as though I had been cleansed by fire and born anew. My powers were stronger than ever before."

"So you decided to confront Smaug on our doorstep?" Thorin growled. "You could have gotten yourself killed. Again."

"Perhaps. But I have a feeling my part in this tale is not yet over. Which is why I came to you, Thorin Durin, and to your Company. I am here to help you defeat the dragon."

"Do you have a plan, wizard? Because none of ours seem to be working."

"On the contrary, my friend. When Smaug attacked my shields I could sense a weakened spot in his defenses due to your virus." Gandalf regarded them with a level gaze. "The task I _have _in mind _will require _a great _deal _of stealth and no small amount of courage. _But _if we're careful and clever, I _believe _that it _can be done_."

...

* * *

...

**A/N: Any ideas as to what Gandalf's plan is? I'll give you a hint... there are a few members of the Company who are NOT going to be happy about it. And someone is going to have a VERY difficult choice to make.**


	18. Origins: Bombur

Origins: Bombur

…

"There's the hike... the quarterback draws back... the pass... straight to number 13, Bombur Hor!" The sportscaster's voice sounds tinny over the loud speakers on the press booth. "Hor makes a solid catch at the 40 yard line... he's running... the 30... the 20... Hor is an unstoppable force, just plowing through the defense... the 10... the 5... TOUCHDOWN!"

Bombur turns in the end zone and spikes the football, pointing his index finger at the home crowd with a smile no one can see beneath his helmet. Of course he's unstoppable, that's his power. Not that the announcer knows that. Using his powers is a clear violation of the rules and would get him sidelined for the rest of the season. It would probably even get his team disqualified from the state championship. Which they are about to win.

His teammates know. They saw the change in his playing style during the spring training camp his sophomore year. Bombur had always been a good player- he was large and solid, but quick on his feet, and had good hands -but suddenly nothing could stop him. Once he got moving he could blow through an entire line of defense without slowing down.

There was some dissension in the ranks at first, powers weren't typically seen as favorable, but when Bombur ran the winning touchdown during the homecoming game against Bree High his teammates realized it was a gift. The coach convinced them to use Bombur sparingly- it would be no good for his powers to be found out. Bombur learned to fake being tackled and did so at least once a game to avoid arousing suspicions. They didn't win every game, but they won enough to make it to the playoffs, then to the state championships.

Bombur shakes his head to clear away the thoughts as he waves at a pretty blond girl in the stands. His teammates cheer over the touchdown and tackle him to the ground. They're up by 14 points with less than two minutes to go in the game. There's no way the other team can win.

The crowd goes wild.

...


	19. No Matter What Tomorrow Brings

**A/N: I'm sorry for the late update! My summer job just ended this morning after a LONG four day weekend weekend full of 13 hour days. Updates should be back on scheduled for now, but next week I leave to work New York Comic Con... I'll have my laptop with me and try my damnedest to get updates posted on time, but it's going to be a crazy week, so we'll just all have to keep our fingers crossed.**

...

* * *

...

The plan was laid out in detail and if anyone questioned where Gandalf got his information, they didn't voice it. Instead the entire Company had to admit that the plan had the potential to work, even if none of them particularly liked it. Their best chance to defeat Smaug was to overload the circuits in his mainframe and it just so happened that they now had the means to do it.

"No," Dwalin said, slamming a fist down hard on the tabletop. "No way in hell!"

"It's the wisest course of action," Gandalf said softly. "Ori is the only one among us who can possibly hold enough power to disable Smaug."

"Ya can't ask him to do this! The last time he only took a little of Bolg's power and it was horrible for him. Taking enough to down the dragon could kill him!"

Ori looked sickened, but put a gloved hand over Dwalin's to calm him. "Are you sure it would work?"

Gandalf shook his head slowly. "No. And I cannot guarantee you would come back from it."

"That's what I was afraid of." Ori pushed back his chair and stood up. "I need a few minutes."

"Take all the time you need, boy. We'll make all the necessary arrangements so that we're ready regardless of what you decide."

…

"Do you think this plan could work?" Bombur asked, leaning over the rail of the balcony and looking down at the city below. The headlights of an occasional car moved along the streets, but otherwise the world was still.

Bifur shrugged and shook his head, clearly as uncertain as his cousin.

"I'm not sure I want t' find out," Bofur responded, his gaze far-away. "Not if it means there's a good chance Ori won't make it back."

"We put our lives at risk every time we go out on patrol. It's part of the job."

"But it's not a job Ori signed up for. He doesn't want this life." He tugged angrily at the ear-flaps on his hat. "It's not fair."

"Life isn't fair," Bombur pointed out softly. "I get the feeling that you might be more worried about Nori than his brother..."

"He's avoiding me," Bofur sighed. "It's probably for the best though. What with this plan an' all, there's a good chance that any of us might end up dead."

Bifur put his arms around his cousin, wings and all, and pulled him into a tight hug. Bombur laid a hand on his brother's arm and for once, none of them needed words to be understood.

…

Dís sat at the computer with her sons sitting side-by-side next to her. None of them spoke as she typed, cycling through Smaug's code for the umpteenth time, hoping to find something she missed. Both boys could feel the tension in the room and were unusually quiet and clingy.

"I don't want anyone to die," Kíli whispered, breaking the silence.

"Me neither," Fíli admitted, releasing the breath he'd been holding.

Turning to look at her sons, Dís found herself blinking quickly to fight back tears. "My boys. You're old enough to make your own decisions, but part of me wants to make you stay here where you'd be safe."

"Mom," Kíli half-whined, his lips forming a pout.

Fíli managed a brief laugh at his brother's expense. "The big bad hero still needs his mommy... Nice one, Kíli."

"Shove it, Fee." He elbowed his brother in the ribs.

Dís rolled her eyes and managed a genuine smile at her sons. "And here I was thinking my boys were all grown up..."

"Sorry, mom," they chorused.

"Get over here, you two." She held out her arms and both boys fell into the hug without hesitation. "No matter what tomorrow brings, you will always be my babies."

…

"We might actually win this," Gloín said, leaning back against the pillows with two arms crossed behind his head.

Loni curled beside her husband on the bed, resting her head on his chest. "It's a good plan, but that doesn't mean I agree with it."

Wrapping his other arms around her, Gloín sighed. "I don't want anyone to die, but we need to be rid of this dragon. Think about Gimli! He could develop powers at any time... I don't want our son to have to spend the rest of his life hiding away."

"I don't either! That's no way for any of us to live... but Ori is so young. And he doesn't want to be a Super. It doesn't seem fair to ask him to do this."

"It'll be his choice in the end. No one is going to force him to use his powers."

"You have to realize there's no choice." Loni shifted to look up at her husband. "Unless we come up with another plan, if he doesn't do this we'll all die. Maybe not right away, but Smaug will stop at nothing to destroy us."

Gloín could think of nothing to say.

…

"You don't have to do this, little one," Dori told his youngest brother. "We'll figure out another way."

"You _shouldn't_ do this," Nori admonished. "It's a stupid idea that's likely to get you killed."

Ori stared down at his gloves, his shoulders shaking slightly. "Can we not talk about this, please. I just need some time to process everything."

Dori nodded and tucked his arm around his brother's shoulders. "Whatever you decide to do, we'll support you."

"I know you will. You guys are the best brothers anyone could ever ask for."

"Of course we are." Nori managed a weak smirk. "And we take care of our own."

Ori chewed on his lip for a moment. "I don't want to think about the plan any more tonight. There are more important things to worry about."

"More important than Smaug?" Dori raised a brow.

"Yes." He turned to regard Nori. "Why aren't you sitting with Bofur? You _always_ sit with Bofur."

Nori flushed and muttered something unintelligible in response.

"I didn't catch that," Ori said, exchanging a glance with his oldest brother.

"I said Bofur kissed me."

"Oh. And you didn't want him to kiss you?"

Nori sunk down in his seat like he wanted to disappear. "No, I wanted him to."

"Then what's the problem?"

"He's my best friend. I don't wanna mess things up."

Dori tutted softly. "And you think avoiding him is the solution?"

"It's _a_ solution. I ain't saying it's the best one..." Nori sighed. "I don't wanna loose him."

Ori looked pointedly at his brother. "So, tell him how you're feeling. Tell him you want to be with him, tell him you want to stay friends, just tell him _something_. Because if you keep running away like this, you _are_ going to loose him."

Nori blinked in surprise. "When did my baby brother get so smart?"

"I've always been smart. I was raised by the two of you."

…

"I don't like this one bit," Balin muttered, unwittingly making a handful of tiny pebbles spiral around his hand. "This plan risks too much and guarantees too little."

"You're concerned for the safety of your brother's partner, that's understandable." Gandalf traced runic patterns onto the tabletop with his fingertip. "I'll admit a fair amount of trepidation myself."

"I would have the same concerns if it were any of us. We're asking the boy to use a power he is unfamiliar with to take down a dragon! This has the potential to be a suicide mission!"

Oín leaned forward and rested his chin on his hands. "Perhaps we will find another solution? Another virus to upload, another tactic to try...?"

"That's doubtful," Gandalf replied with a heavy sigh. "The dragon must be dealt with and that task has fallen to us. Like it or not Ori is our best solution."

Balin rubbed a hand over his eyes, looking far older than his years. "There's not one among us who likes your plan, wizard."

"And yet here we are, trying to work out the logistics."

"We don't have much of a choice," Oín pointed out. "If Ori agrees to this madness, we will see it done."

Gandalf smiled sadly. "Yes. I do believe you will."

…

Bilbo sat on the blue plaid couch and stared sullenly out the window. Part of him wanted to go comfort Ori, but he knew his friend needed time alone with his brothers. Instead, he felt at loose ends- worried about the plan, but thinking of nothing he could do about it.

"The waiting is the worst part, isn't it?" Thorin asked, startling Bilbo out of his thoughts.

"I don't know, the threat of impending death might be worse."

"You make a good point." Thorin sighed. "May I sit?"

"It's your house," Bilbo said with a shrug.

"You're as much of this team as anyone else, burglar. You've proved yourself willing and able."

"And yet I still feel unwanted and out of place."

"I think some of that is my fault." Thorin sat down and regarded Bilbo uneasily. "I owe you an apology."

Bilbo blinked in confusion. "What for?"

"I... I'm not good with people." He rubbed at his eyes as if the very confession pained him. "You admitted to being attracted to me and I did you an injustice with my response. I was rude and I apologize."

"Err, it's quite all right. I don't know what I was even thinking... Of course you wouldn't be interested..."

"I am."

Bilbo stopped rambling, his mouth gaping open slightly. "You are?"

"Yes." Thorin nodded. "Once this fight with Smaug is over, I'd like to take you out to dinner..."

"Well, in that case we'd best try and live through the fight."

…

As the hours crept on most of the Company turned in for the night, trying to get a bit of sleep before taking on whatever the morning had in store for them. Ori pulled himself away from his brothers with a slight blush and headed down the hallway, ignoring their knowing glances. He paused outside Dwalin's door, raising a fist to knock, then deciding against it and letting himself in.

Dwalin stood up as he entered. "Ori..."

"You left right after Gandalf told us about his plan. I thought you might be avoiding me."

"No, I just needed time to think."

Ori smiled sadly. "You and me both."

"I don't want ya to do it." Dwalin's voice was gruff. "I don't care if we have to stay locked in this building forever, I don't want ya to risk yerself."

"Smaug would pick us off one by one. We'd never be safe."

"I know that! But it would give us time! I've only just found ya, I'm not ready to lose ya!"

Ori moved across the room, throwing his arms around Dwalin and pulling him into a breathless kiss. His gloved hands found purchase on the other man's shoulders, pulling their bodies flush against each other. Dwalin responded in kind, wrapping his arms around the boy and holding him close. At length their kisses ceased, though they stayed clinging tightly together.

"I don't know what will happen tomorrow," Ori whispered brokenly. "But for tonight, please don't let me go."

Dwalin's breath caught in his throat. "Ori..."

"This might be all we get... Please don't ask me to leave." His eyes were beseeching and bright with unshed tears. "Give me tonight..."

"I'll give ya anything ya ask for," Dwalin breathed, his fingers shifting down to tighten on Ori's hips.

"All I want is you."

...

Morning came and the Company gathered around the table for breakfast. Waiting until everyone else sat down Ori stood at the head of the table and took a deep breath. "I'll do it."

...

* * *

...

**A/N: Again, I'm sorry for the late chapter. I'll try to be better about it! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Will Gandalf's plan will work? Will Ori survive it? Will Thorin and Bilbo FINALLY get their shit together? Find out on Friday! But first, on Wednesday, Nori's origins as a thief are reveled!**


	20. Origins: Nori

Origins: Nori

…

The night sky is pitch black, but Nori doesn't mind- dark for dark business. He hops the chain link fence with a practiced ease and creeps across the finely manicured lawn, careful to avoid the motion sensors. Pausing at the side door, he takes a deep breath to steady himself. He's seventeen now. Old enough to be tried as an adult should he get caught. He can't get caught.

The lock-picks are a familiar weight in his hands and he slides the double-round into the deadbolt and feels his way until the tumbler clicks over. The sound is unusually loud in the stillness. Nori doesn't move, doesn't breath. He waits two whole minutes, counting them down silently in his head, then turns the door handle and slips inside.

Breaking and entering isn't Nori's normal gig. He prefers the subtle art of pickpocketing. It's easier. Safer. Grab a wallet or a watch, then disappear into the crowds before the target even knows their valuables are missing.

Nori is good at disappearing. He's good at pretending to listen to his older brother Dori's rants about respectability and college, then sneaking out a window to get drunk in some random basement with some less than honorable associates. It's not that he doesn't have more decent friends, he does, but his best friend has a twelve foot wingspan and Nori would rather remain inconspicuous. Plus, he'd rather not get anyone else in trouble with his thievery.

The house he's broken into is elegant and well-kept, the kind of house Dori probably dreams of having. Their own home is a single bedroom apartment in Ered Luin, with second-hand mattresses on the floor and ramen in the pantry. It's not much, but it's clean and safe and it's theirs. Dori's lost another job- he pretends he's not worried, but Nori knows better. The city isn't that big, it won't be long until word spreads that Dori has powers, and then there will be little chance for respectable work.

The house is silent, occupants fast asleep, but Nori moves slowly, silently, a heartbeat at a time. He's been watching this house for days, knows the layout, where the payload is. He can't get caught- it would break Dori's heart and he's got enough to worry about. Nori feels a tinge of shame for the life he's chosen, but beyond that is a rush of adrenalin. He likes the risk, the excitement. He's damn good at what he does.

Nori slips through the doorway into the kitchen and pauses, listening for any sound over the hum of the refrigerator. Hearing nothing he moves to the counter and the purse he knows will be left there. The wallet yields a small wad of bills, which he tucks into his jacket pocket. He leaves the credit cards behind, wanting nothing that could be traced.

Through the kitchen is the den, Nori's man objective. He moves as quickly as he can and still remain silent, filling his backpack with things he can easily fence. A laptop computer, a portable music player, a gold watch and wedding ring. On the desk is an intricately engraved pen, probably silver. Nori slips it into his inside jacket pocket, thinking it would make a nice surprise for his little brother, Ori.

With his backpack full, he creeps back out the way he came, locking the door after himself. The night sky is still pitch black, but Nori prefers it that way. The darkness will hide him as he moves through the city towards the back alley pawn shop that always welcomes his nighttime patronage. The owner offers him far less than his haul is worth, but Nori doesn't argue. In this business arguing can get you hurt, or worse.

The money may be ill-gotten, but it will be enough to cover their rent. Dori knows better than to ask where it comes from and Nori never volunteers that information. It's a painful arrangement and a harsh reminder that their lives will never be normal. But the rent is paid, and the ramen bought, and their lives go on with false cheer. It's an unspoken agreement, meant to keep little Ori unconcerned. And so they never talk about why Dori keeps changing jobs, nor what Nori does in the darkness.

...


	21. Dragon Fire

**A/N: Warnings for violence, injury, and potential character death. You might want to have a box of tissues handy. **

...

* * *

...

By early afternoon the Company was back in Dale Regional Park, preparing for what they hoped was the final battle with Smaug. Thorin had planned on bringing only those who were absolutely necessary to the fight, but the Company had rallied against him. In the end, only Dís remained behind to monitor everything and provide surveillance. Red Team was in reserve and stationed a few blocks from the park, much to their displeasure. If things went bad they would be the ones to fall back to Erebor Tower, to live and fight another day.

"Blue Team is in position," Thorin said into his com unit, glancing around the vacant field.

"Green Team is also in position," Fíli replied into his own com. "Still no eyes on Bolg, but Nori's certain he'll show up."

Dwalin rested a hand on the small of Ori's back, keeping the boy close. "Do I even want to know what yer brother used to draw Bolg here?"

"Probably not." Ori managed a shaky smile. "Something about trading information. I didn't ask any more than that."

Bilbo shifted nervously beside them. "I do hope this works."

"It will," Ori said, sounding more confident than he actually was. "I have faith in us."

Dwalin and Bilbo exchanged a worried look, but tried to remain outwardly assured.

"I've got eyes on Azog and Bolg," Dís' voice came through the coms. "Two blocks away, coming in from the west."

Thorin growled under his breath and shifted his upper body to solid oak. "Get ready, Green Team. Everyone but Bofur be ready to engage."

Azog and Bolg crested the hill, both obviously ready for a fight. Azog's pale skin glistened with a thin coating of frost, a broad sword of solid ice hefted in one hand. Sparks danced off Bolg's skin, his fists clenched to contain the voltage that circulated through his fingers. Both were unmistakably angry.

"I should'a know you'd bring your whole crew," Azog growled at Nori. "I hope you ain't planning on starting nothin'."

The thief shrugged and flashed a razor-sharp grin. "You never know with me, Azog. I play by my own rules."

"Are we playing a game here or are we gonna deal?" Azog shifted his ice sword into a more threatening position.

"Everything's a game," Nori laughed darkly. "And you should know, I stack the deck."

Before Azog could respond, Nori ducked out of the way and the villain was suddenly face-to-face with Fíli. With a fierce battle cry, Fíli launched his attack, parrying Azog's ice sword with his own twin blades.

Meanwhile, Kíli drew one of his trick arrows and lined up the shot, sticking the arrow in the ground at Bolg's feat. A bolas snare sprung from the arrow, tangling Bolg's legs and sending him to the ground. Lightening jolted out in every direction, but it wasn't enough to loosen the snares.

"Eyes on Smaug to the east. ETA is under five minutes!" Dís' voice rang out in their ears.

Ori turned to Dwalin and pulled him in for a desperate kiss, all tongues and teeth and need. When they broke apart Dwalin was breathless and Ori offered him a melancholy smile. "No goodbyes. I'll see you on the other side."

"I'll see ya, lad," Dwalin replied helplessly.

Ori pulled off his gloves as he walked, tossing them to Nori on his way past. "Keep an eye on these, please. I'll need them when we're done."

Nori choked back a sob and nodded.

Stopping just outside the range of Bolg's lightening, Ori took a deep breath. "Ready Bofur? As soon as Smaug is in view we'll need to move. I don't know how long I'll be able to hold..."

"I'll get yeh up there." Bofur nodded, his eyes glued on the skies. "An' I'll stay airborne in case yer not... awake enough t' use yer parachute on the way back down."

Nori placed a hesitant hand on Bofur's arm. "You take care of my brother. Bring him back."

"I will," He promised, flexing his wings and pulling his gaze away from the sky.

"And birdbrain..." Nori leaned forward and quickly caught Bofur's lips with his own in a fierce kiss. "Promise me you'll bring yourself back too."

Bofur's face split into a dimpled grin. "Of course, thief. Someone has t' make an honest man of yeh."

"Smaug is cresting the hill. Time to move, Ori. Good luck!" Dís' voice sounded through the coms.

Gandalf stepped to Ori's side and summoned his shielding. "This should get you close enough. Take only what you need. Good luck!"

"You all keep saying good luck," Ori muttered, reaching forward and placing his bare hands on Bolg's face. "It isn't about luck anymore..." Bolg's eyes rolled back in his head and his entire body went ridged. Ori kept the contact, the runes on his hands glowing brightly amongst the scars as Bolg began to choke up blood. "It's about power... and I've got more than enough of that."

Dropping the shielding Gandalf took a step back, a worried look crossing his face. "Let go before you kill him, boy!"

Ori released his grip and stood up, leaving Bolg to fall unmoving back to the ground. Sparks danced along his limbs and made his pale skin glow, as his coppery hair stood up from the excess static. "You underestimate me, wizard. Everyone does." His eyes flashed with anger. "You have no idea what I'm capable of."

Rushing forward, Nori skidded to a stop at his younger brother's side. "My god... How much of his power did you take?"

Ori offered him a wicked grin, his laughter bordering on maniacal. "All of it."

Nori made a sickened noise in the back of his throat. "Please, Ori... Stay in control... We need you..."

Bofur's hand wrapped around Nori's arm and pulled him back just as a lightening bolt scorched the ground where the thief had been standing. "Of course you need me. I'm stronger than all of you!"

"Ori, I need ya to focus on me." Dwalin's voice was soft and calm, but his eyes shown with fear. "Come on, lad..."

Sparks crackled over Ori's skin, singeing the flesh and causing it to blister. Vapor escaped in gusts from his nose and mouth as his body began to smolder from the heat. "Why should I focus on anything other than the power. I feel so full. So alive!"

"Yer burning yerself up, lad! Please!" Dwalin's voice lost it's resolve as he broke down. Tears coursed down his face, but turned to steam as he stepped nearer to Ori. "I ain't giving up on ya!"

Gandalf raised his shield around himself, Bofur and Nori to block the fierce electric bolts that shot towards them.

"C'mon lad. Ye need to come back to me!" Dwalin took another step forward, his own skin blistering and burning almost as fast as his regeneration could heal it. "Please... I ain't gonna let ya go!"

The lightening coursing over Ori's body flashed brightly then ebbed away so that it was simmering underneath the surface of his skin. "Dwalin?"

"I'm here, lad. I ain't gonna leave ya." He reached out and cupped Ori's face in his hand, feeling the heat burning beneath the boy's skin. "Can you control this enough for Bofur to get ya up to Smaug?"

"I think so." Ori took a step forward and staggered slightly. "We need to hurry. There's too much power... I don't want to loose control again."

Bofur tugged the flaps of his aviator hat down and pulled the goggles into place before giving Nori brave smile. "Be good, thief."

"Don't get roasted, birdbrain." He managed a worried grin. "Take care of my crazy-ass brother."

As Smaug flew into view, Balin and Kíli turned their attention towards distracting the dragon, sending explosive arrows and large rocks at his head. Smaug roared in anger and shot a jet of fire at them, but it was blocked by Gandalf's shields.

"Surrender now and I will melt the flesh from your bones in the blink of an eye," Smaug roared as he banked in the sky over the Company. "If you resist I will take my time turning you into a pile of ash. Either way, I do believe I will enjoy killing you."

With Smaug distracted, Bofur carefully wrapped his arms around Ori and took to the skies.

…

Meanwhile, Fíli and Azog remained locked in battle. They were evenly matched, Fíli's perfect technique tempered by Azog's ice and unpredictability. Thorin moved in to help his nephew, slamming one of his oaken fists into the villain's side and sending him sprawling. Fíli brought the hilt of his sword down hard on Azog's head, knocking him unconscious.

Dwalin and Nori stared at the sky, both heedless to the fight around them. Thorin and Oín came to stand with them, while Fíli went to join in the distraction of Smaug.

"Do you think Ori can do it?" Thorin asked, using a hand to shade his eyes from the sun.

"Of course he can!" Dwalin snapped, earning a pleased nod from Nori.

"I certainly hope so," Oín said with a shake of his head. "Otherwise we're out of ide-" His words were cut off as he collapsed to the ground, a large lump already forming on the side of his head.

Azog bared his teeth and snarled. "Did you think I'd be that easy to defeat, Oakenshield? You know nothing!"

Thorin swung at the villain and landed a solid blow that audibly cracked ribs. Dwalin responded in kind by popping his knuckle-dusters and opening up the side of Azog's head. After a few more well-placed hits, Azog fell again, and this time they bound him with Nori's belt.

"Oín's alive, but unconscious," Nori cursed. "Let's hope we don't need a healer any time soon."

…

In the sky, Bofur swooped low and dropped Ori onto Smaug's back. There were no arrow handles for him grip, but the dragon seemed content to stay in one place and shoot fire at the Supers on the ground. Scrambling over the metal scales, Ori dropped to his knees and whimpered.

"Are yeh okay?" Bofur shouted from where he coasted overhead.

"Too much power," Ori ground out. "It hurts. I have to discharge it."

"Just get t' his shoulders. Gandalf said the weak spot was between his wings!" Bofur shifted his own wings, catching a draft and darting in closer. "Yeh can do it. Just take out Smaug an' I'll get yeh home."

"I'm not going to make it out of this, Bofur. I've known that from the beginning." Ori's eyes went out of focus and he lost his grip for a moment, sliding over the dragon's side and down towards his wing. Bofur dove low, catching Ori by his hoodie and dragging him back up.

"Yes yeh will! I promised Nori I'd bring yeh home safe! I'm not breaking that promise!"

Violent sparks danced over Ori's hands and arms. "Tell my brothers I love them. And Dwalin... tell them... tell them I'm sorry."

"Your shields will not hold forever, Supers!" Smaug roared down in between bouts of dragon fire. "I will feast on your ashes!"

Pulling himself upright on Smaug's back, Ori fought to keep his balance. "I've got to do it now! Get out of here, Bofur! Go!" The electricity pulsed through his body, snapping and popping as it leaped from his blistered skin. Small bolts of lightening surged across his arms, sparking off for several feet in all directions.

Bofur gave a pained yelp as one of the lightening bolts connected with his left wing, charring the paper-thin flesh and melting the feathers. He went into a tailspin, getting caught in the updraft from Smaug's own metal wings and being thrown away from from the dragon.

The runes on Ori's hands glowed bright with unnatural energy, his eyes rolled back so nothing but pure white orbs could be seen. Standing atop Smaug's back, he raised his hands like a lightening rod to the skies and called on every reserve of power he had stolen from Bolg. The power crackled over every inch of skin, lighting small fires along his clothing, and singeing the edges of his hair. Steam poured from Ori's eyes, the evaporated remnants of what should have been tears. He cried out one final time, a sound that was more a death howl than a sob, and called down the lightening.

…

* * *

...

**A/N: I'm so sorry. *hands out tissues and chocolate ice cream***


	22. Origins: Ori

**A/N: Oh my god! All the comments from the last chapter! I'm so glad you guys are enjoying this story enough that you're getting upset about what happened to Ori! I promise his fate will be revealed on Wednesday! Thank you guys so much for commenting! I love you all!**

**As a reminder- I'm going to be working New York Comic Con this weekend and I leave today. I'll have my laptop and will do my best to get the chapters put up on time, but if I'm a bit late, please don't hate me too much. I also probably won't have time to respond to comments until I get back next week, but rest assured I will reply to them all in time!**

**This origin is a flashback to the night before the battle with Smaug. Warning for mentions of bullying, homophobia, and self-harm (nothing is graphic or in detail).**

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* * *

...

Origins: Ori

...

"I've been meanin' to ask ya somethin', lad," Dwalin hedged his words as he turned to look at Ori. They were laying together on his bed, legs entwined, clothing strewn on the floor. It was probably not the best time to have this conversation, but it had been weighing on his mind. "When Dori told us about yer powers, he said ya had a really bad experience..."

"And you want to know what it was," Ori finished for him. He pulled himself to a sitting position and tucked the blankets around his waist with a sigh.

Dwalin sat up as well and frowned, cursing himself for breaking the afterglow. "Ya don't have to tell me if ya don't want to."

"I hated having to hide my powers from you. I thought you'd judge me, that you'd leave me. But now I know better. No more secrets." He fiddled with a loose thread on his gloves and tried to decide where to begin, what to say. "When I was really little Dori and Nori went through a lot so that I could have a normal life. They tried to hide it from me, but I know a lot more than they realize. They went through hell so I didn't have to."

"Neither of them wanted to worry ya." He reached out and took Ori's hand, twinning their fingers together and offering a reassuring squeeze.

"I know that. But after my powers developed, it got harder. People look at you differently when you wear mittens and long sleeves in the middle of the summer." The sunlight was fading and Ori felt grateful that the shadows hid the worry on his face. "I kept going to public school, even though I hated it. I would have been an odd kid even without the gloves. I was sixteen- gay, nerdy, awkward. It... it was horrible. The other kids called me names, pushed me around... but I never caused a fuss, because I didn't want to worry my brothers."

Dwalin shifted his weight so he could see Ori's face better in the gathering dusk. He didn't know where the story was going, but could tell by the way the Ori's hands shook that it was not a pleasant memory.

"Gym class was the worst. I've never been good at sports and all the popular jocks were in my class. Most of the time I hid in the back of the group and tried not to draw attention to myself. It worked pretty well during the games, but afterward everyone had to shower..." Ori trailed off and pulled his knees to his chest, wrapping his free arm around them. "I had to take my gloves off, so I'd wait until the last possible second, then take the quickest shower I could. There were curtains, so nobody could see my hands. Well, one day I got myself noticed in class. I accidentally hit one of the jocks with a dodge ball and he came looking for revenge."

Raising their linked hands to his lips, Dwalin pressed a firm kiss to Ori's knit-covered knuckles. "It's all right. Take yer time, lad."

"He cornered me in the shower. Pushed me." Ori's voice cracked, but he pressed on. "I didn't mean to touch him, it just happened. It was only for a second, but he fell and I grabbed my clothes and ran. By the time I got home I was a wreck. You know how my powers work- I absorb abilities, but I also take on what the person was feeling..."

A cold knot of dread settled at the base of Dwalin's spine. "What was he feelin'?"

"Hate. He hated me. I was a disgusting, unnatural freak." Ori managed a dark, slightly frantic laugh. "And he didn't even know about my powers."

"Ori..." Dwalin started to interrupt, not sure he wanted to hear the rest of the story.

"I was so messed up anyway. I hated my powers. I hated the way people treated me. It wasn't much of a leap from what I was feeling to what he was..." Ori's face was wet and he wiped halfheartedly at the tears with the back of his glove. "I got home and my brothers weren't there. And I was alone with all these thoughts and feelings... all this _hate_ for myself..."

Dwalin's own cheeks were damp, his heart breaking at Ori's words. He gripped the boy's hand tighter and tried to convey all the affection he felt into that one touch.

"I'll spare you the details, but when Dori came home he found me sitting in the kitchen, despondent and bleeding from where I'd tried to carve the runes off my skin. I just wanted it all to stop." He broke down in earnest then, sobbing into the crook of his arm until Dwalin pulled him close and pressed damp kisses along his hairline. Ori clung to him and cried until he was hoarse, his whole body shaking with the effort.

At length he calmed down and his breathing steadied. It terrified Dwalin to think of how close he'd come to loosing Ori before they'd ever met. "I'm so glad ya got past it. I'm so glad yer still here," he murmured, breath soft against Ori's skin.

"Me too," Ori whispered and curled himself more comfortably in Dwalin's embrace. "Me too."

...

* * *

...

**A/N: Ori's fate hangs in the balance and Smaug may not be defeated... I hope to see you back here Wednesday.**


	23. Battered, But Alive

**A/N: Ori has called down the lightening to destroy Smaug, but did it work? And will everyone make it out alive?**

**Warnings for graphic descriptions of injuries (mostly burns), some violence, and potential character death.**

...

* * *

...

From the ground, it appeared that the sky itself opened up and shot forth a great bolt of lightening. The thunderbolt hit Smaug squarely between the shoulders, right where Ori had been standing, and sent the dragon careening towards the ground. The strike was blinding, lighting up the landscape in stark white relief. As their vision cleared the Company looked up to see the annihilated corpse of Smaug tumbling out of the sky, and with it a smaller body.

Bofur struggled through the air, his injured wing having to work twice as hard to keep him anywhere near aloft. Dropping into a nose-dive, he tore off through the skies, ignoring the burning pain as he closed in on Ori's falling body. Catching the boy around the waist Bofur snapped his wings back to stop their fall, but his left wing was too damaged and gave out under the strain. He flapped wildly, trying to right himself, but in the end he could only slow their descent. They collided with the ground hard- Ori crumpling in a broken heap, while Bofur rolled off to the side with his already injured wing sticking out at an unnatural angle.

Before Bofur and Ori had even hit the ground, the rest of the Company was racing towards them. Bilbo ran next to Thorin, desperate to get to his fallen friend. The prickling on the back of his neck returned and he disappeared from Thorin's side, reappearing twenty feet ahead. A tiny part of his rational brain realized he had teleported, but instead of dwelling on that fact, Bilbo focused on the prickling sensation and did it again, bouncing ahead in short increments until he reached Ori's side.

"Ori!" Dori collapsed beside his brother as the rest of Red Team convened around the fallen bodies. The others were not far behind. "Come on, little one, please be alive!"

The youngest Rill took a rasping breath, blood specking across his lips as he exhaled. Ori's skin was charred and blistered, with great gaping cracks running along his joints. The right side of his body was crushed from the landing, limbs akimbo and ribs shattered beyond recognition. His eyes were open, blown out from fear and pain, but still focused. All of the power had left Ori's body and he stayed conscious with sheer force of will alone.

"We need Oín now! We need a healer!" Dori's voice was frantic.

"Oín is down. We left the boys with him." Thorin panted at he ran up, dropping to the ground at Ori's side. "How bad is it? Should we call an ambulance?"

"It's too late for medicine," Dori whimpered. "He needs a miracle..."

"S'okay, Dori..." Ori croaked, his voice slurred with pain. "Did we win...?"

"I think so, little one." Dori reached out to comfort his brother, but realized any touch would cause more pain. "I'm so sorry..."

"Don't be... we won..." He coughed and the broken ribs shifted visibly in his chest. "Nori here...?"

"I'm here," Nori knelt at his brother's side and forced a smile. "Hey there, hero..."

"Not a hero... Not a Super..." Ori tried to shift his weight and let out a mewling cry. "Hurts, Nori..."

"I know it does. We're gonna figure something out, all right? We always do." Nori scrubbed a hand over his face, brushing back the tears that were pouring from his eyes.

Blood seeped down the side of Ori's face from an unseen crack in the top of his skull. It soaked into the fabric of his hoodie and stained the ground a deep crimson. "Dwalin...?"

"I'm here, lad," Dwalin's voice broke and his hands shook as he looked down at Ori. "Don't ya dare leave me!"

"Not gonna give up on you..." The words were taxing and his eyelids fluttered closed. Only the gurgling stutters of Ori's breath could be heard over the quiet sobbing and prayers of the Company.

"Stay with me! Yer gonna be all right!" Dwalin looked around frantically for any sign of help, his eyes falling on the faintly glowing runes shining through the burnt flesh of Ori's hands. "Take my regen power! Listen to me, Ori... I need ya to take my hand!"

"No..." He managed weakly. "Would take more than powers... Would take feelings..."

"I know that!" Dwalin cried, his eyes pleading. "Please, Ori! Don't make me force you! I'll touch the runes myself if I have to... Just take my hand!"

Ori forced his eyes to focus through the pain and mustered all of his strength to move his hand. "I'm sorry..." His fingers wrapped around Dwalin's wrist.

Dwalin's body went rigid and convulsed from the sudden strain, but his regeneration powers managed to keep him upright. The fingers Ori had wrapped around his wrist slowly began to heal, the burnt skin flaking away to reveal unmarred flesh. The new skin continued to spread up his arm, healing the broken bones and knitting the tissue back together. As the regeneration continued, Ori's ribs mended together with audible clicks and the burns gave way to healthy skin. His breathing became more level, deep breathes replacing the raspy sounds of collapsed lungs. After a minute, Ori released Dwalin's arm and let his hand fall limply to the ground.

"Ori?" Dwalin was ghostly pale and shaking, his face pinched with worry. "Come on, lad. Wake up."

The corner of Ori's mouth twitched and he opened his eyes. "Dwalin..."

"Welcome back to the land of the living." He managed a weak smile and reached out to brush the sooty hair back from Ori's face. "Ya used my powers to heal, now tell me what I was feelin'."

"You were worried, but also... Love," Ori breathed, his eyes sparkling in wonder. "You love me."

Dwalin leaned down and pressed his forehead to Ori's own. "That I do, lad."

…

"Is everyone accounted for?" Dís' worried voice came over the coms.

"A little battered, but alive," Thorin replied with a tired grin.

"Fee and I are fine, mom!" Kíli declared into his com. "Stop worrying so much!"

"I'm glad to hear that, boys." There was obvious relief in her voice. "But please keep off this channel unless it's work chatter."

"Sorry, mom," Fíli said, elbowing his brother in the side. "You know how clingy Kíli gets after a fight... He needs his mom- OUCH!"

Kíli whistled innocently, pretending he hadn't just punched his brother in the arm.

"Obviously your sons are in high spirits and just as obnoxious as always." Thorin rolled his eyes. "We'll confirm that Smaug is down, then head back to base."

"Roger that. I have visual of Smaug over the hill to the south. Be careful and I'll see you at home, Teams."

Thorin took a deep breath and looked around. "All right, Red Team, head south and get a read on the Smaug situation. Just because he isn't moving doesn't mean he's dead. Be careful!"

Bombur gave a joking salute and grabbed Dori's arm, pulling the other man away from his brother. "Ori is fine and we've got work to do."

Dori cast a worried glance back, then nodded. "Let's get to it then." He joined Bombur and Bifur as they set off in the direction of the dragon's fall, Gloín and Loni falling into line behind them.

…

"Doing all right, birdbrain?"

Bofur looked up at the thief and shook his head. "Not particularly. Oín better wake up soon."

"He will and we'll get that wing of yours fixed up," Nori promised, regarding the obviously broken wing with a frown. "Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"Sore from the rough landing, but I'll live." He let out a pained breath. "Never really hurt my wings before... feels worse than any other break I've had."

Nori sat down beside Bofur and hesitantly took his hand, pressing a kiss to the bruised knuckles. "Thanks."

"For what?" Bofur glanced up from their joined hands with a raised brow.

"Keeping your promise." He shrugged and flushed slightly. "You saved my brother and got yourself back in one piece... more or less."

Bofur's lips curved into a slight grin. "I would have promised anything after yeh kissed me like that."

"Yeah, well, I just..." Nori trailed off awkwardly.

Bofur shifted his weight, wincing at the pull on his wing, and rested his head on Nori's shoulder. "We'll figure it all out later."

"There's nothing to figure out. I wanna be with you."

…

Oín came to in the wake of the battle and let out a low moan at the pain in his head. He was typically the one healing injuries and tended to stay out of the fighting. At the sound of his waking, Balin knelt down at his friend's side and offered him a concerned smile.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I was run over by an avalanche." Oín carefully prodded the lump on his head and winced. "That was unpleasant."

Balin managed a soft laugh. "Bolg knocked you out. So, it might as well have been an avalanche."

"I hope someone returned the favor."

"You can be certain Thorin and Dwalin made their displeasure known."

"Any excuse for those two to hit something," Oín replied with a slow roll of his eyes. "Since we're having this banter am I to assume that everyone lived?"

Balin's smile faded. "We almost lost Ori."

Oín closed his eyes against the thought. "Then we were lucky. Luckier then we have right to be."

...

"We won," Bilbo whispered, not quite believing it himself. "It's over."

Thorin glanced over at him with a slight smile. "It appears that we managed to slay the dragon and all lived to tell the tale."

"But Ori... He came so close to..." His words were drowned out by a watery laugh.

"Are you all right, burglar?" Thorin raised a brow. "You seem... hysterical."

"I'm quite fine. Really. It's just that I'm not used to things like this is all. Ori is my friend and I thought I was going to have to watch him die."

"But he didn't die."

"But he could have! I'm not certain I'm cut out for this life." Bilbo rubbed a hand over his eyes. "I don't know if I can do this."

"You did well today." Thorin placed a hesitant hand on the other man's shoulder. "You got the injured to Oín, you didn't draw unnecessary attention to yourself, and you did whatever you could to help. I could ask no more of you."

"I teleported again," he admitted. "Right after Smaug fell. We were running to get to Ori and I teleported."

Thorin blinked, his grasp tightening in surprise. "Do you know how you did it?"

"Not precisely. But we thought Ori was dead and there was this tingling on the back of my neck... The first time was an accident, but after that I just focused on the feeling and kept doing it. I wasn't going very far, but I was making it happen."

"Could you do it again? Now?"

"I don't believe so." Bilbo frowned in thought. "It's like I could feel myself being pulled forward because Ori's life was at stake. The moment he was healed the feeling went away. I don't quite know what to make of it."

Neither did Thorin, so he said nothing.

…

Red Team circled around the remnants of Smaug and approached with caution. The dragon lay in a broken heap, wings snapped off and neck severed from the fall. Metal scales littered the ground, torn from his body as he skidded across the rough earth. Smoke billowed from several large gashes along Smaug's torso, sparks crackling along the exposed electrical boards.

Bifur walked up to the dragon's head and kicked it soundly. The toe of his boot made a resounding clank against the metal, but Smaug didn't stir.

"I think you're right, Bifur," Loni agreed with a nod. "I think Smaug is welly and truly dead."

Gloín climbed onto the dragon's corpse and began tearing it apart, panel by panel until the main computer was revealed. "Just to be safe, we'd better make sure he stays that way."

Dori drew back his arm and slammed his fist into the computer, the force of the punch shattering what was left of the mainframe. For good measure he added a second punch and then a third, continuing until the computer was dust, and he was sobbing uncontrollably, and Bombur stopped his hand.

"I know," Bombur said with a kind smile. "But we're all alive and Smaug isn't. Let's go home."

...

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**A/N: Ori lived, Dwalin loves Ori, and Bofur and Nori made some headway. Also, Thorin had a conversation with Bilbo and didn't douche it up. I would say things are looking up. Perhaps the worst is behind us?**


	24. Origins: Dori

Origins: Dori

…

Dori wakes up on the morning of his eighteenth birthday to a note from his mother saying she is leaving.

He's not surprised, not really anyway. He's noticed the late night phone calls, the too-short skirts. She has a track record- three sons by three different men, all Supers if her stories are to be believed. He never knew his own father and was too young to recall Nori's. But he does remember the man who fathered Ori and hopes the little one doesn't grow up to have his father's violent temper.

Dori has powers. He can lift cars above his head without breaking a sweat. He has to be careful when he slams a door, otherwise he might break the entire frame out of the wall. Yes, Dori has powers, though he considers them a curse. He hopes his brothers don't suffer similar fates.

Nori is thirteen and notices everything. He's a shrewd troublemaker on his good days and is heading down a path that makes Dori's skin crawl. Petty thievery is no way for a Rill brother to make his way. They are better than that. Dori is sure of it. Ori is eight and impossibly quiet. He draws and writes stories and lives in his own little world. Dori intends to keep it that way.

So, their mother leaves and Dori gives up his plans for college in order to raise his brothers. He's surprised to realize that he doesn't mind in the least. He's already been making sure they have food on the table and get to school on time- this is not so much different. When they ask, he explains that their mother has gone on a trip- a story that Ori eats up and Nori scoffs at. Then they get on with their lives.

Dori finds work stacking boxes at the shipyard. He is careful to only lift as much as the other workers, doing his best to conceal his powers. The hours are long, but Dori is good at his job. It's honest work. Then one day he lifts a bit too much and one of the other workers calls him out. He is ostracized, heckled, taunted for being unnatural. The others refuse to work with him and the foreman lets him go.

He finds another job, then another, and another, but they all end the same. The world isn't a kind place for those who are different. No matter how hard he tries, someone always discovers his powers. People are scared of him. Disgusted by him. It doesn't matter how much he begs and pleads for work that will keep his brothers fed, no one will willingly hire someone with powers.

Dori is twenty-three and out of options. He's been fired again, this time for lifting a fork-truck off of a trapped worker. The man would have died by the time help arrived. Dori could have left him, could have kept his secret, but he is a Rill and they are better than that. So, the man lives and instead of thanks, Dori receives termination papers.

There are no more jobs. Word has gotten around about what he is. Neighbors offer him dark glares in the hallways, potential employers turn him away without looking at his resume. He does his best to hide it from his brothers. Ori is thirteen, smart and talented. He is still quiet and shy, but never comes home from school with complaints. Nori is eighteen and knows about his older brother's struggles, though they never discuss it. On mornings when Dori finds a few a few crisp bills tucked under the coffee maker he doesn't question Nori. He doesn't want to know. He simply pays the rent and buys the groceries. It hurts to much to think of Nori becoming a thief. They're Rills and they're better then that.

So, Dori takes the only job that's left for him. The last resort. The signs outside his tent at the freak show advertise _The World's Strongest Man_. Dori doesn't feel all that strong. He spends the day ripping phone books in half and lifting small cars. People point at him and call him names, but at the end of the day there is a pile of wadded up bills in his hat. There's not enough for them to live well, but enough to survive. Most days he goes without, squirreling away as much money as he can. He feels better having a nest egg, no matter how small and pitiful it might be. Some day Nori might get himself into more trouble than he can handle and need bailing out. And one way or another Ori will go to college.

Dori doesn't tell his brothers about his new job. He doesn't want them to know. Instead, he walks into the freak show tent with his head held high. He lifts dumbbells and bends pipes and tries not to hear the hateful remarks from the audience. He keeps his face impassive and doesn't let anyone see his shame. Each day he swallows his pride and betrays himself for the amusement of people who will never accept him. But Dori does it for his brothers. Because they are Rills and deserve better than that.

...


	25. The Battle is Won, But Not the War

...

The Company returned to Erebor Towers and took the elevator up to floor 27 where Dís was waiting for them. Oín was not able to focus enough to use his powers, and everyone was beaten and bloody, but they were all alive. Dís hugged both her sons, then her brother, before smiling brightly. "Smaug is dead. We won!" The weariness of battle seemed to fade at her words and a series of cheers went up from the Company.

"We really did it," Kíli said in amazement. "Things can go back to normal now."

"As normal as they ever are for us," Fíli added with a grin.

Thorin regarded his nephews. "The battle is won, but not the war. We still have no idea who set Smaug against us."

Bilbo watched the boys' smiles fade and frowned. "We're all tired and hurt and in need of good news. Let's celebrate the fact that there's no dragon trying to roast us alive."

"There is still a villain out there who needs to be stopped-" Thorin started, only to be interrupted.

"There's always going to be another villain! We have no leads right now. There's no harm in taking a few days to rest."

"I suppose you're right..."

Bilbo crossed his arms and nodded. "Of course I am."

…

"With Smaug gone we can bring Gimli home!" Loni told her husband with an excited smile.

"What about the mastermind behind all this? He could be planning something else."

She sighed and looked at the floor. "You're right, he's probably safest where he is. I just hate having our family split up."

"I do too," Gloín wrapped two of his arms around his wife and pulled her close. "But we need to keep our boy safe."

"As much as I don't like the White Council, Gimli sounds like he's having a great time with Thranduil's son."

"He doesn't get enough time with kids his own age. I'm glad he's made a friend."

"We'll have to make sure they get to spend time together once this is all over. I'm sure the others wouldn't mind Gimli inviting a friend for a sleepover."

"That's a great idea!" Gloín said with a smile. "You know, with Smaug gone, it's probably safe enough for us to go visit Gimli for the day..."

…

Dís pushed the keyboard back and dropped her forehead to the desk with a heavy thud. "I've tried everything I can think of to trace Smaug's code back to its programmer, but it's no use."

From his seat beside her, Bifur reached out and smoothed a hand over Dís' dark hair in a soothing gesture.

"I know, Bifur, it's no good to get myself worked up. But this is _so_ frustrating!" She rolled her head to the side and looked up at him. "If he wasn't trying to kill us, I'd be impressed. I've never seen code like this."

Bifur continued to stroke Dís' hair gently and occasionally nodded when she reached a particularly ardent part in her ranting.

Eventually she ran out of momentum and sat up with a slight smile. "It's funny... Even though you can't speak, you always know the right thing to say."

...

"How's the wing, birdbrain?" Nori asked, leaning against the balcony railing and looking down into the city.

"Still a little sore, but usable. Apparently Oín doesn't know much about avian physiology, so he had a bit of trouble patching me up. I'll live though." Bofur shrugged, looking everywhere except at the thief.

"Maybe we should order him a book on birds. You know, just in case you get hurt again..."

"Yeah, that's a good idea..." Bofur absently adjusted his hat and frowned. "Why does this feel so awkward? We've been best friends for years..."

Nori sighed and raked a hand through his hair, mussing up his mohawk in the process. "I think that's gotta be why. If you were some random guy I wouldn't be so worried about fucking this up."

"Why do yeh think you'll make a mess of things?"

"Because it's me. I ain't exactly an upstanding citizen, you know. If I wasn't part of the Company I probably would have landed in jail years ago. I'm not... I'm not good enough for you."

Bofur laughed outright. "Seriously? That's what yer gonna go with? Every possible excuse in the book an' yeh choose t' play the not-good-enough card?

Nori blinked, clearly confused. "I'm not playing a card! I wanna be with you, but I'm trying to be honest..."

"I know." His wings spread to catch the breeze, but he stayed grounded. "We've been friends since high school, thief. I already know yer trouble."

Nori's shoulders hunched forward in defeat. "Then why'd you kiss me?"

"Because underneath all the crap yer an amazing person." Bofur cupped Nori's jaw with his hand and forced their eyes to meet. "Yeh put up a good front, but I _know_ yeh."

"I'm still a thief."

"Yer _my_ thief," Bofur replied plainly. "An' the only thing you've stolen is my heart."

Nori took a step back and laughed, dispelling the awkward tension. "Did you really just say that?"

"Yup." Bofur grinned, obviously pleased with himself. "Get used t' it. When it comes t' dating I'm the king of corny one-liners."

"Dating, huh?" He teased, quirking a brow. "Is that what we're doing?"

"I hope so."

Nori grabbed Bofur by his braids and pulled him forward, crushing their lips together in a fierce kiss.

...

"You're suck a jerk, Fee!" Kíli growled, jamming his elbow into his brother's side. "Stop cheating!"

"How am I cheating?" Fíli laughed brightly. "You're the one who's winning!"

"You just used a combo move I've never seen before! You have to be cheating!" Kíli mashed the buttons of his game controller and glared at the screen.

"We have a super-computer in the other room. I googled all the special attacks the other day."

"See! You cheated!" The younger boy shrieked.

Fíli shoulder-checked his brother. "That's not cheating. That's using every available resource."

"Yeah, well, you're still a jerk," Kíli pointed out, tapping out a button combo on his controller. "And I'm still going to beat you!"

The older boy grinned and focused on the game. "We'll see..."

…

"You love me," Ori whispered from where he lay sprawled out on the bed wearing a broad smile, his gloves, and little else.

Dwalin laughed and brushed a finger over the freckles on the boy's shoulder. "Like I said the last three time ya repeated that... Yes, I love ya."

"This is all so unreal. I didn't expect to live through that fight, but you saved me." He frowned suddenly and sat upright. "Maybe I _am_ dead and this is my heaven..."

"As flattered as I am that yer version of the afterlife is bein' naked in my bed, I can guarantee that yer still very much alive."

Ori's eyes fluttered shut as Dwalin's fingertips mapped over his chest, tracing downward along the sparse path of hair. "Yes, I think you're right... heaven couldn't feel this good."

Dwalin hummed his agreement and leaned up to capture Ori's lips with his own. "I love ya, lad."

"I don't think I'll ever get tired of hearing you say that." He returned the kiss and let his own gloved hands wander lightly across the span of Dwalin's hips, raising goosebumps along the tattooed flesh.

"I love ya," Dwalin repeated as his fingers drifted lower over Ori's body, causing the boy to buck against his hand. "And I'm gonna show ya just how much..."

…

"Why is it that every time we get one problem dealt with, another springs up to take its place?" Balin muttered as he looked around the table for answers.

"Because we're Supers," Bombur replied with an honest shrug. "It's part of the life."

"Well, someone really should have mentioned that before we signed on."

Gandalf cocked a brow. "Would that have truly made a difference?"

Balin sighed. "No, I supposed not."

"Like it or not, this is the life that has chosen us." The wizard smiled knowingly. "All we can do is make the most with the skills we've been given."

"Unfortunately, our skills don't seem to be helping us figure out who was behind the Smaug attacks," Oín pointed out with a frown. "Someone wants us all dead and I doubt we'll be getting any peace until we find out who it is."

"We'd better find out soon," Dori growled. "It's one thing to risk our lives against the usual cast of villains during patrols..."

"...But another entirely to be at war with an unknown assailant," Gandalf finished with a nod. "I do believe the only course of action is to hope for the best, but expect the worst. A storm is coming, I only hope that we can weather it."

…

"I'm quite certain that you owe me dinner," Bilbo said as he sat down beside Thorin on the couch.

"Yes, about that... Would you be willing to take a rain check? We still have a criminal mastermind to catch."

"No, I don't believe I would." He shook his head steadily.

Thorin's eyes darkened. "Excuse me?"

"Stopping villains is important, but there's more to life than that. If I'm going to be in relationship, it's not going to be with someone who constantly puts the job first."

"But..." Thorin gaped, obviously not expecting to be turned down.

"No buts. You're one of the most devastatingly handsome men I've ever met, but I'm not looking for a quick tumble," Bilbo surged on, his words rushing together. "If you'd truly like a chance with me, this is it, Thorin. It's now or never."

"Get your coat."

…

The restaurant Thorin chose was a small Italian bistro three blocks from Erebor Tower. Even though it was late afternoon, the shades were pulled to give the dinning room a sense of intimate darkness. Red-and-white checkered fabric covered the tables and small white votive candles burned in glass holders. The waitress seated them at a corner booth and handed over the menus with a knowing smile. "Enjoy your meals."

Bilbo worried his lip as he looked around the room. "This is... nice. Do you come here often?"

"No. This is my first time. Gandalf suggested it..." Thorin smoothed the lapel of his jacket, looking uncomfortable in civilian clothing.

"Ah..." Looking down at the menu he ran through the selections, noting there were no prices listed. "The, uh, eggplant Parmesan sounds delicious..."

Thorin nodded enthusiastically. "I was thinking about the Chicken Florentine, myself..."

They placed their orders with the waitress, then sat sipping their wine in awkward silence.

"You really aren't good at this, are you?" Bilbo finally asked with a short laugh.

"I told you that! There's not much time for dating when you're leading a team of Supers."

"At least you have a good excuse. I was an executive assistant. A secretary, as you so kindly put it." He shrugged and toyed with the stem of his wine glass. "I spent most evenings at home, microwaving leftover take-away and watching old movies."

"You were never interested in dating?" Thorin inquired.

"Oh, I went on a date here or there, but it never lead anywhere. I guess I never seemed to find the right person."

The waitress turned up with their food and the conversation stalled out while they ate.

"Do you mind if I ask you a question?" Bilbo said, stabbing his fork through a piece of eggplant.

"Only if I can ask one in return."

"Fair enough," he agreed with a nod. "What would you be doing if you weren't a Super?"

Thorin took a bite of his chicken as he considered the question. "I'm not really sure. I've had my powers for so long that it's difficult to imagine life without them. My father was an architect... My grandfather too. I think in a different life I might have followed in their footsteps."

"I do believe you'd have been good at it. You have a knack for planning." Bilbo smiled and sipped his wine.

"My turn for a question," Thorin said, his voice low. "Would you like to have breakfast with me tomorrow?"

"Breakfast? The Company always has breakfast togeth-... Oh..." Bilbo blushed as he realized the implication. "You're asking me to stay the night."

"I just thought maybe we could skip the rest of the awkward getting-to-know-you bit..." Thorin trailed off and shifted nervously in his chair. "I'm sorry, that was probably too forward..."

"It was rather forward," Bilbo agreed with a flustered nod. "Normally there's a second date, or at the very least a kiss before..."

"I told you I'm absolute rubbish at this."

"Well, you certainly are a bit lacking in decorum. But, yes... Yes, I'd very much like to have breakfast with you."

Thorin offered him a genuine smile and reached across the table to lace their fingers together. "Good. I'm enjoying this evening and don't want it to end."

"Then we should order desert. Something sinful... perhaps chocolate torte with berries and cream..."

Thorin leaned across the table and Bilbo mirrored his movement, licking his lips in anticipation of a kiss. Suddenly Thorin frowned and pulled back. He removed a com unit from his pocket and glared at it spitefully. "Damn it. I'm sorry, it's an emergency signal."

Bilbo sighed. "Of course it is. Duty calls..."

Thorin slid the earpiece in and growled, "This had better be important, Dís."

"Sorry to interrupt your date, but we just received an encrypted e-mail from Great Goblin. He's taking credit for the Smaug attacks and wants to set up a meeting with you."

Thorin relayed the news to Bilbo and regarded him with pleading eyes. "You understand how important this is..."

"I'll take a rain check on that breakfast," Bilbo said as he flagged down the waitress. "Check, please!"

...


	26. Origins: Loni

**A/N: Well, I'm back from New York Comic Con! I had a really fun (and BUSY) time working there. I got to geek out with a ton of other fans, talk superheroes, Tolkien, and other fandoms. I'm exhausted from the long hours working (and the 10+ hour car ride home!), but it was totally worth it. I managed to get all the chapters updated on schedule, but am still catching up on replying to all the reviews. Thank you guys for your patience, and here's the new chapter!**

...

* * *

...

Origins: Loni

…

Loni knew she was one of the lucky ones. She grew up in a sheltered world where no one looked down on those with powers, or feared them. In fact, both her parents were retired Supers, who fought with the Riders of Rohan in the years before she was born. Her mother was a powerful empath, who could calm frightened crowds and instill order in an otherwise chaotic world. Her father could control water, bending and shaping it to his will.

Loni was born with the ability to hear people's thoughts. It wasn't something she came into later in life like most Supers, but more akin to being raised in a bilingual household. As a toddler she was taught the differences between speaking-voices and hearing-voices, and learned to shield herself from always hearing the latter.

While most of her classmates were busy learning to play soccer or read chapter books, Loni learned the ethics that became the foundation of her life. She learned when and where it was appropriate to use her powers, and how to act on what she heard without giving herself away. Loni became adapt at coming across as insightful when really she was reading people's thoughts. She learned to shut out her powers in school, so she could learn on her own without hearing the answers in her head. Although it was tempting at times to cheat on an exam she hadn't studied for, Loni never abused her powers. Her mother would always know if she made even the slightest misuse of her abilities- you couldn't lie to an empath.

Still, it was difficult to feel like you belonged when you heard so much more than you should, and Loni had a difficult time making friends. People were fickle and oftentimes a stray thought would slip past her shields and into her mind. It was hard to stay friends with someone who would make one statement, then think another. Honesty became the most important thing, the foundation for ever friendship she cultivated. She didn't mind if someone didn't like her, as long as they weren't afraid to say it to her face.

When she met Gloín her senior year of high school, Loni told him about her powers on their second date. She wasn't sure why she trusted him, but the trust was there. Perhaps she had inherited a touch of her mother's empathy and could judge his character. Or perhaps she could simply read his heart the way she could read other people's thoughts. Whatever the reason, Gloín took the admission in stride. He told her that he didn't care about her powers and that she was welcome into his thoughts whenever she pleased. He was an open book and said what he thought, even when his opinion was unpopular.

They married two years after graduation and while Loni spoke traditional vows out loud, she whispered quiet promises into his mind. Gloín was her heart. Her solid foundation. Her everything.

...


	27. It's Undoubtedly a Trap

_My dragon may be destroyed, but you will still kneel before me, Oakenshield._

_1725, -42, 7. 1:00 PM._

_-Great Goblin-_

_..._

"How do we know he was behind Smaug?" Bilbo asked, fretting his hands together. "Anyone could take credit for it..."

Dís shook her head. "It was him. I tried to trace the e-mail and was blocked at every turn. He's using proxy servers and routing it through four different countries. Every time I hit a dead end a piece of code pops up... The same code that took down Smaug's firewalls."

"He's taunting us," Dwalin growled.

Ori put a hand on Dwalin's arm to calm him. "What do we know about Great Goblin? We need to see if there's anything we can work with."

"He always sends his minions," Bofur said with a shrug. "He's got t' have hundreds of them."

"Yeah. We keep putting them in jail, but it never makes a dent," Nori added as he toyed with one of Bofur's braids. "They're all the same- no identifying features, fingerprints burnt off... It's like they don't exist."

Bombur ran a hand through his mustache in thought. "They've obviously been trained to fight, but most of them are nothing special. It's more about overwhelming number than actual skill."

Ori rapped his gloved fist on the tabletop. "That's not what I asked. What do we know about Great Goblin himself?"

The Company fell into an awkward, thoughtful silence. At length Dís answered," He's probably a NP, since he wasn't worried about Smaug killing him. His coding level is off the charts..."

"So, he's probably a NP computer genius?" Ori sighed, waiting for the others to follow his line of thought. "Has anyone actually _seen_ Great Goblin?"

Thorin growled low in his throat as he caught on. "We have no idea who we're up against."

"So, don't go to the meeting," Bilbo suggested softly. "It's probably a trap."

"It's undoubtedly a trap," Gandalf agreed. "But it's also the only lead we have."

"Then we're going to the meeting?"

Thorin sighed. "You can stay here where it's safe. Blue Team will go."

Bilbo rolled his eyes. "You'll need Dís here to monitor everything, which puts you down to three members. I'm going."

"You're not a fighter and this could go horribly wrong."

"Of course it's going to go wrong. Which is precisely why I'm going. Someone needs to be around to save you." Bilbo winked at Thorin and vanished, his voice floating out of the nothingness. "Plus, it might be useful to have someone Great Goblin can't see."

"Fine," Thorin consented with an irritated scowl. "Bilbo will join Dwalin, Balin, and myself on Blue Team."

"And me," Ori added with a steady nod. He was met with a wall of skeptical looks, but surged on. "You know what I can do. NP or Super, I can take his skills if need be."

Thorin tossed up his hands in exasperation. "Anyone else? No? Good. Let's work out a plan then. I don't want to go in blind if we can help it."

"The coordinates in the e-mail are for a large warehouse in the Rhovanion district," Dís explained, pulling up a map on the monitor. She zoomed in to the street view and accessed the closest security camera. "From what I can see there's only one way into the building. No other doors, no windows. I downloaded the schematics from when the building was built and there are no hidden passages in the original design."

"That doesn't mean Great Goblin didn't add one," Nori pointed out. "In fact, I'd put money on there being at least two other ways outta that building. If it were me, I'd have a movable hatch somewhere along the back wall, probably near one of the corners for more cover. If I had a way to fly, the other would be to the roof. If not, it would be to an underground tunnel."

Bofur shook his head incredulously. "You've given this some thought... Do I need t' be worried?"

Nori rubbed a hand over the back of his neck and shrugged. "I started as a thief. Escape routes come with the territory."

Thorin stared at the map and nodded. "Nori makes a good point. We have to assume Great Goblin will have another way out."

"If he's even there," Gloín said slowly. "I mean, we already know it's a trap, the whole building could be swarming with minions and he could be three states away."

"That's a cheerful thought," Bofur muttered.

"It's not full of minions, unless Great Goblin has found a way to block their heat signatures," Dís said, pulling up a temperature overly. "I hacked into the government satellites. There is only one living thing in that building."

Bifur made a quick gesture at Dís, who nodded and reached up to squeeze his hand.

Loni elaborated, "Bifur says he'd rather face a hundred minions than a single man. If Great Goblin is confidant enough to be alone, he's got something planned..."

Gandalf regarded them sagely. "There are some who would not deem it wise to temp fate in such a way."

"What choice do we have?" Thorin growled. "This is the only lead we've got!"

Bilbo frowned. "This isn't a lead. A lead is catching a break that the bad guy doesn't know we have. This is more akin to dressing ourselves in raw meat and walking into the den of a hungry lion."

"Great Goblin is trying to hurt my family. I will seize this chance to take him down. And I'll go alone if I have to."

"Ya won't be alone, Oakenshield," Dwalin rumbled. As he stepped forward Ori moved to stand at his side.

"We're with you, lad," Balin sighed. "I don't like it, but I don't see much choice."

Thorin looked to Bilbo, who cocked his head with a smirk. "I already told you I was going."

"All right then," Thorin said with a tight smile. "Time to figure out a plan."

…

In the end there was little planning they could do against an unknown enemy in an unfamiliar setting. When morning came the Company sat around the table and ate their breakfast in silence, their usual banter replaced by a nervous energy. No one liked the idea of walking into a trap, which was precisely what they were planning to do. The overall mood was made even more solemn when Gloín dropped the morning edition of The Daily Portents on the table. The headline declared _S.M.A.U.G. Destroyed by So-Called Supers _and showed a grainy photograph of Dori dismantling the dragon's corpse.

Dís fitted Blue Team with com units and cameras so she could monitor their progress from Erebor Tower. The rest of the Company would be watching the monitors, ready to help should something come up. The other teams were not happy about being left behind, but Thorin's logic convinced them. It was a bad idea to send everyone knowingly into a trap. They would all be much better off with two teams in reserve for when things went wrong.

Blue Team said their goodbyes and made the drive to the Rhovanion district in silence. Great Goblin's warehouse looked the same has it had in the satellite images- tall and brick and imposing. Balin activated his com and checked in with Dís while the others took a moment to ready themselves.

"I want ya to take a bit of my power, lad." Dwalin rubbed a finger over Ori's gloved hand. "Last time ya didn't get much of an emotional hangover... Ya can handle it and it'll help keep ya safe."

For a moment Ori looked like he was going to refuse, but he nodded slightly. "Okay. But only so you don't worry as much." He peeled off one of his gloves and looked down at the softly glowing runes standing out amongst the scars on his flesh.

"Let me..." Carefully Dwalin reached forward and took Ori's hand, raising it to his lips and kissing the palm. His eyes unfocused slightly as the runes drew out his power, but he smiled as Ori pulled away and put his glove back on. "And ya said we'd never be able to touch..."

Ori flushed and pulled Dwalin in for a kiss. "I love you, Dwalin."

"And I love ya, lad."

...

"Before we walk into this trap I wanted to thank you," Bilbo said, not taking his eyes off the warehouse.

Thorin frowned. "Thank you? For what?"

"For letting me be a part of this team. I'm not a Super, not a hero, not even a burglar- though you call me one. It's been quite a long time since I felt like I belonged somewhere. Like I could do some good."

"You belong with us," Thorin whispered as he leaned down and claimed Bilbo's lips with his own.

Fisting his hands in the soft fur of Thorin's cape, Bilbo purred his agreement. Breaking apart, he grinned. "Maybe you aren't so terrible at this kind of thing after all. We had dinner, we kissed, now we're going to battle a criminal mastermind. It's sort of a second date..."

Thorin laughed and kissed him again.

…

"All right, Blue Team," Dís' voice echoed through their coms. "I'm still only picking up one heat signature inside, but we know this is a trap. I'll monitor things from here and let you know if anything changes. Be careful in there."

"Roger that," Thorin replied. "Blue Team is heading in."

The door to the warehouse was unlocked and Dwalin extended his knuckle-dusters before pushing it open. As they stepped inside Thorin shifted his arms and torso to diamond and Bilbo disappeared. Balin opened the bag he carried and poured out a collection of small, sharp rocks. Muttering a spell under his breath the rocks rose up and circled around his body like a living shield.

The door sealed itself behind them with a loud click. Thorin cursed under his breath. "The only way to go is forward."

The corridor they entered into was long and dimly lit, with no exits other than the open doorway at the end. Thorin took a headlong step and a portion of the wall slid away, half a dozen metal spikes springing out. Balin's rock shields took out two of the spikes while Thorin and Dwalin's quick reflexes blocked the ones meant for them. Without thinking Ori threw his fist out and the spike jutting towards him stopped with a metallic clang. Pulling off his glove he flexed his fist to show the metal which coated his knuckles. "Huh. Guess I took more than just your regen..."

Dwalin gave a pleased snort, then peered down the corridor. "Looks like we're runnin' the gauntlet here."

Bilbo agreed from somewhere up ahead. "It appears we're not just walking into _a_ trap, but that the trap is literal as well."

"There's still only one heat signature in there, Blue Team," Dís said in their ears. "He's straight ahead of you, at the far end of the building. It's hard to tell the elevation, but I'd hazard to say he's above y-"

Their coms went dead.

…

"Blue Team? Can you hear me? We've lost visual!" Dís pounded at the keyboard and cursed. "Shit! We've been blacked out. Our whole security system is offline!"

"What does that mean?" Bombur asked, glancing around nervously.

"It means we have no way to help Blue Team." The lights flickered, then went out. "And we're sitting ducks up here."

The Company stood in appalled confusion for a few moments before Dori got to his feet. "No power means no security cameras, no outside communication, no shielding, right?" Dís nodded. "We'd better ready ourselves then. I have a feeling we're going to have some unwelcome guests."

...

* * *

...

**A/N: We're heading into the home stretch with this story! There will be 33 chapters total, so we're almost done! Stay tune Monday for Gloin's origin chapter (and a bit more on how the Company came to live in Erebor Tower). See you there- same bat time, same bat channel!**


	28. Origins: Gloin

Origins: Gloín

…

"The council for the prosecution may present their open statements."

"Thank you. Your honor, esteemed members of the jury... my client, Gloín Farin was employed as a security guard for Mirkwood Laboratories. He was always on time, never took a sick day. For almost seven years he was a model employee. But on the night of July 13th, he was the victim of a terrible accident. An accident that was caused by inadequate safety procedures, which resulted in his being bitten by a highly classified, radioactive spider. A top-secret project that should never have existed, much less been unattended. And after the accident, did Mirkwood Laboratories offer my client restitution? No, they _fired_ him! They _fired_ him for something beyond his control! They _fired _him for an accident that destroyed his life! They _fired_ him for being a victim! Your honor, respected members of the jury... my client has four arms. He will never again be able to go out into the world without being stared at. Today, I aim to prove to you that Mirkwood Laboratories was at fault for the terrible accident that befell my client. And once you understand the horror that Gloín Farin has faced, I'm sure you'll do the right thing and award him a fair settlement, so that he can make the most out of his now shattered life."

Gloín sat at the front of the courtroom and attempted to look solemn as his lawyer spun his story for the jury. He wore a suit that had been specially made for the trial, designed with subtle pinstripes to draw attention to the two extra arms he had grown because of the accident.

It _was_ an accident, the way he slipped on the damp tile floor while doing his rounds. It was an accident and dumb luck that he fell against the glass tank on the lab table, that the tank broke, that the toxic whip spider escaped. Gloín could remember the entire night with startling clarity- the pain when his hip connected with the corner of the table, the damp from the floor creeping through his pant legs. He could still feel the small pucker of flesh on his neck where the spider had injected its venom.

Mirkwood Laboratories should have kept it's experimental projects under lock and key. That was the sticking point of the entire court case. If the spider tank had been better secured there would have been no accident. Gloín was not asked to give testimony during the trial, because there were things he was not willing to say. He didn't want to admit the way his wife purred long into the night under the caresses of his extra hands, nor the way he could carry both the groceries and his infant son from the car into their apartment. He certainly didn't want to mention that he finally felt that he could contribute to the team of Supers his wife was a part of. No, he let the lawyer spin a tale of woe- of someone stricken by a horrible affliction that ruined his life.

So, Gloín sat in the front of the court room, with Loni at his side, and tried to look despondent. He knew Loni was using her own powers to peer into the jurors' minds to see how their case was fairing. When she squeezed his hand and sent him an affirmative thought, Gloín had to hide his smile behind one of his hands. Loni had been born with her telepathic powers and never thought twice about using them. After the accident, Gloín had not been worried at all over how she'd respond. She was not bothered by his outward appearance, because she knew his heart. He was lucky to have her.

By the time the final statements were made, Gloín had all but stopped paying attention to the court case. In the eyes of the jury, Mirkwood Laboratories was at fault. The verdict was delivered and the compensation was far more than they had hoped for. He shook hands with his lawyer, who asked what his plans were for the large cash settlement he'd been awarded. "It's time we left Ered Luin. Loni tells me that Erebor Tower is for sale. I think that will be my first purchase."

...


	29. No Way Out

"Damn it!" Thorin cursed, shooting an icy glare down the hallway. "We've lost contact with Erebor Tower. Somehow I don't think it's a coincidence."

"Dís will get the coms back up as soon as she can. Right now we need to keep moving forward." Balin gestured towards the doorway with a worried frown. "The longer we stand here the more time Great Goblin has to plan."

"There are bound to be more traps. Stay on yer guard." Dwalin motioned for Ori to stay close and started off down the hall.

They had to deal with two more sets of spikes and a pit of fire, but Blue Team managed to make it to the doorway relatively unscathed. Thorin peered into the next room with concern. A hand on his arm caused him to jump, but he quickly stilled when Bilbo's voice whispered into his ear. "I haven't set off any traps yet. I do believe Great Goblin is activating them manually and doesn't know I'm here."

Thorin nodded minutely and glanced at the rest of the team, hoping they'd take the hint. "Be careful. There are only _four_ of us here and we can't afford to loose anyone." Dwalin's brows knit for a moment, but Ori's hand on his lower back stilled his confusion.

"Aye, lad," Balin said with a mock sigh. "If we'd have known what we were getting into, I think we'd have brought a team with more members."

"Nothing to do about it now. Let's see what the next room brings." Steeling himself for the worst, Thorin stepped through the door.

…

Erebor Tower was silent save for the distant chime of the elevator bell. Dís stared at the dead security monitors and snarled, "Great Goblin has control of our systems. He's cut our power, but must be rerouting some of it to the elevator. I think our guests are on the way up."

"How many people do yeh think can fit in that elevator?" Bofur asked with a frown.

"It was built to comfortably fit all of us. Given the dimensions and the size ratio of the average human, I would imagine you could fit twenty-five people."

Kíli chewed on his lip and stared at the elevator door. "What are we gonna do?"

"Fight," Dori replied simply. "This is our home. If they think we'll give it up easily they've got another thing coming."

Gandalf gave a sage nod. "Arm yourself and find a defensible location."

Fíli's hand tugged on the hallway door and he frowned. "The door won't open. It's stuck."

"Lock-down mode," Dís cursed loudly. "It's supposed to be a safety feature, but apparently Great Goblin is using it to keep us in the main room." She tried the door to the balcony with the same results. "There's no way out. We're trapped."

The chime from the elevator grew louder. "They're almost here! Get ready!"

While the power in the rest of the room remained out, the lights on the elevator came back on lighting up the floor numbers. 25... 26... 27... The bell chimed one last time and the door slid open letting more than two dozen of Great Goblin's minions spill into the room.

…

The room Thorin stepped into was close to twenty yards long, with an intricately designed tile floor. The tiles were arranged in a spiraling pattern, in shades of black, white, and gray. A single doorway stood directly in front of them. The door they entered through locked itself behind them. "I don't like this."

"Neither do I," Balin agreed with a frown. "There's something off about that floor. A warehouse like this shouldn't have fancy tile work."

Dwalin glared at the floor for a moment and then sighed. "Only one way to find out. Ya lads should stand back while I check it out."

Ori's lips parted like he wanted to object, but he held his tongue. Dwalin stepped out onto the floor, his feet resting on a white tile. Nothing happened. With a shrug he took another step onto one of the gray tiles. The walls make a creaking sound and slid closer together. "Shit. Guess some of the tiles are pressure sensitive." Another step, another white tile. Nothing. White. Nothing. White. Nothing. Gray. Walls closed in.

"It's a riddle!" Ori shrieked and hopped across the while tiles to where Dwalin was standing. "Look- there's a pattern! The white tiles are safe, the gray tiles move the walls in."

"What about the black ones?" Thorin asked from the doorway. "The pattern gets darker the nearer it gets to the other door. Eventually there are no more white tiles."

"We'll have to try a black tile when we get closer. For now let's try to stay on the white ones and not get crushed to death!" Ori's words were meant to be joking, but his voice held a slightly frantic edge. Dwalin gave him a reassuring smile and they continued on, jumping from one white tile to the next. Thorin and Balin followed slowly behind them and somewhere unseen Bilbo did the same.

Half way across the room the white tiles became fewer and far between. Dwalin turned back and looked to Thorin for guidance. "We're gonna have to step on some gray or black tiles now. Ya want us to try the black or stick with the gray ones?"

"How many gray tiles do you think it would take before the walls close in and crush us to death?"

Balin did the math in his head. "I would say no more than ten. And there's twice that between here and the door."

"Then we'll have to try the black," Dwalin took a deep breath and stepped onto one of the black tiles. For a second nothing happened and then a spear shot out of a gap in the tile, wedging itself through Dwalin's thigh. He cried out and started to fall, but Ori darted forward, straddling the nearby white tiles and supporting Dwalin's weight. "Poisoned too," Dwalin ground out as he pulled the spear out. The wound on his leg knit itself back together, though at a slower rate than normal. "Perfect."

Thorin stared at the tile pattern and sighed. After a minute Bilbo's quite voice whispered in his ear. "If only two people step on the gray tiles we can make it across."

"But there are fiv- more than two of us," he muttered under his breath in return.

"You could carry Balin. Dwalin should be strong enough to carry both Ori and me."

"I have a plan," Thorin said, as if just coming up with the idea himself. "We'll stick to the white tiles and gray when we must. If I carry Balin and Dwalin carries Ori we should be able to make it."

Dwalin's eyes widened slightly as Bilbo related the rest of the plan in his ear. "Let's get on with it then." Ori rolled his eyes, but climbed onto Dwalin's back piggy-back style. It took them a moment to get situated, with the invisible Bilbo clinging wildly to Ori's back. Thorin lifted Balin in much the same manner and they began making their way across the floor. It was awkward and undignified, but it worked. The walls closed in tighter and tighter for every gray tile, but they managed to squeeze through the final gap and into the next room.

…

Great Goblins minions poured into Erebor Tower with weapons at the ready. They all wore the same gray-green jumpsuits and grotesque masks, but carried a variety of weapons- everything from knives to staffs to guns. The Company scattered, spreading out around the room in order to maximize their efforts.

The second the elevator door opened Bombur started his charge, rushing forward at a surprising speed. There were a dozen minions between him and his goal, but his power made him unstoppable once he gained momentum. Bombur plowed through the men, using his bulk to push them to the side as he rushed straight into the elevator. He came to a stop only after crashing into the back wall of the lift and crushing the steel frame, effectively wedging it in place. "The only way in now is the stairs!"

Dori nodded his approval from where he was busy spinning one of the minions above his head. He sent the man flying at the wall, where he fell crumpled and unmoving. Grabbing a nearby chair, Dori wedged it under the handled of the door to the stairway. "Stairs are blocked off!" He turned back to the fight and grabbed up another henchman, wrapping an arm around the man's neck and choking him out.

Oín hefted the dinning table and flipped it on its side, ducking behind it to set up a triage station. He darted out to a cabinet on the computer wall and returned with a large first aid kit and a stack of towels. There would likely be injuries and if he were not able to assist with his powers, he wanted the others to have everything they could possibly need.

Loni ducked behind the table with Oín and pressed a hand to her forehead in concentration. Rooting around in the thoughts of the minions, she settled on one that seemed especially dangerous and _screamed_ as loudly as she could into his thoughts. The man dropped the gun he was carrying and collapsed to the ground, clutching his head in pain. Loni fell back with a pinched look on her face, but gathered herself up and began to search for a new target.

Kíli positioned himself along the same wall as the elevator, with a clear shot into the fray. Reaching into his quiver he pulled out one of his trick arrows, drew back, lined up the shot, and fired. The arrow hit the ground and released a bolas trap on impact, the thin weighted ropes tangling around the legs of one of the minions and bringing him down. Smirking to himself Kíli drew another arrow and watched for an opening.

Fíli commanded the area between his brother and the elevator. Twin swords flashed in his hands as he took down one of the minions with a pummel to the head. Another man moved to take his pace, lashing out with a whip and disarming Fíli. Diving for the nearby weapon rack Fíli grabbed a staff and launched into a frenzied attack, altering his fighting style to dislodge the whip and losing his staff in the process. Reaching towards the weapon rack again, the minion blocked his arm with a dizzying capoeira move. Snarling, Fíli countered with krav maga and their fight began in earnest.

"I'm useless without room t' fly!" Bofur cursed, ducking behind one of the plaid couches as an unconscious man flew past him. He watched as Nori darted out, metal pipe in hand, and downed another henchman. Bofur's wings twitched in worried anticipation as Nori tossed him a switchblade grin and hamstrung an unsuspecting man. Another minion charged at the thief and Bofur shouted a warning, but it was too late. The man grabbed Nori and flipped him through the expanse of windows. Glass shattered as Nori skidded unmoving across the balcony and off the edge towards the concrete below. Bofur moved without thinking, diving through the jagged break in the glass and shooting downward at break-neck speeds. He caught Nori mid-air and cradled him close as his wings snapped out to carry them upwards. Bofur carefully deposited the thief near Oín, then turned back to the room with an uncharacteristic low growl. Loosing himself like a missile, Bofur flew across the room, grabbing the minion who had attacked Nori, and jetting out into the open sky.

"This is for having to keep my son hidden away!" Gloín shouted as he slammed two minion's heads together. "This is for making my wife worried!" Another man sailed across the room and into a wall. "And this is for trying to destroy our home!" Gloín ran out of nearby opponents and charged to where Bombur and Dori were in the thick of the fight. All four of his arms worked tirelessly to punch, claw, and grapple any of the minions who made the mistake of getting in his way.

Dís activated her plasma sword and glared at the men who were invading their home and threatening her friends. She turned towards the nearest minion, but before she could attack a loud crack sounded as the man pointed a gun at her and pulled the trigger. Suddenly Dís staggered back, unharmed, while the bullet stopped inches from her face. Bifur's mask was pulled down, his face contorted in concentration as he used the vibrations from his scream to stop the bullet. As the bullet fell harmlessly to the ground he closed his mouth and offered her a rare smile. "Come on, Bifur. Let's do this together." Dís hefted her plasma blade and took down the henchman with the gun. Beside her, Bifur adjusted his mask and directed a low-frequency sonic blast at one of the nearby minions, rendering him unconscious.

Gandalf wadded through the fight with his shields up, occasionally using his staff to club one of the half-conscious minions on the head. He didn't fight directly, but made good use of himself by casting binding spells on the downed men. Dragging the bound minions to the far side of the room, Gandalf gave a pleased nod at how well the Company was doing given how outnumbered they were. And so far they had behaved like true heroes and not taken a single life.

Bofur soared above Erebor Tower, holding the minion who had hurt Nori by the back of his jumpsuit. The man struggled and pleaded, but Bofur paid him to mind. "I could let yeh fall an' no one would care. I should for what yeh did t' Nori. He could have died!" Bofur pulled his wings back and dropped into a short dive, causing the minion to shriek in terror. Pumping his wings, Bofur flew back up to the balcony and hung the man off the side of the railing by his jumpsuit. "Too bad I'm a better person than yeh are..."

Fíli bled heavily from a deep cut on his thigh, but he ignored the pain and reached for something to use as a weapon. The henchman he fought seemed to match him skill-for-skill and they had disarmed each other of most every weapon on the rack. Fíli's hand closed around the frame of a broken chair and he shrugged, kicking his uninjured leg out to break the wooden arm free. He turned and swung, hoping to catch the minion off guard, but the man crumpled to the ground before his blow could connect. Fíli blinked in confusion at the arrow protruding from the man's shoulder. "Paralytic shock arrow," Kíli informed his brother with a grin. "And you're welcome."

Gloín slammed a fist into the face of a masked henchman as another crowded him and landed a heavy blow to his side. One of his arms made an unnatural snapping sound, causing him to cry out in pain. Dori stepped in and engaged the attacker, his own arms cut and bloody from the fight. Bombur lay unmoving on the ground beside them, the side of his face swollen and bruised from a wayward blow.

Behind the table Oín's hand glowed brightly as he worked his fingers over the gashes in Nori's face and torso. There would be time to do a proper healing after the fight, for now all he could do was stop the blood loss and keep the thief from going into shock. Nori's eyes were unfocused, but open, so Oín left him in Bofur's care and moved on to his next patient.

The last minion fell to Dís' plasma blade and she leaned heavily on Bifur for support as they limped to the center of the room. "Are we all good?"

"Good is relative, but we're all alive," Oín replied as he worked to heal Bombur's concussion. "I should be able to get everyone mobile, but we're still going to be in tough shape."

Dís nodded and lowered herself to the ground. One of her hands was pressed tightly against a bloody gash on her side. "Do what you can, Oín."

Of the Company only Kíli, Oín and Bofur remained mostly unscathed, so they took it upon themselves to help clean their friends' wounds and make sure Gandalf's binding spells were keeping the minions contained. With the major injuries healed, the Company gathered their gear and prepared their next move.

"We need to get to the Rhovanion district to help Blue Team," Dís said, looking around their now desolated home.

Kíli leaned against his brother's side and chewed on his lip. "Do you think Uncle Thorin and the others are still alive?"

Dori made a strangled sound and paled visibly. Nori looked as ill as his brother, but managed a shaky response, "We'd know if they weren't. Great Goblin would wanna brag about it. No news is good news."

"I agree," Dís said. "Now , let's get moving. We've got 27 flights of stairs to get down."

Bofur perked up. "Or not. I can get everyone down to the street."

One by one Bofur flew the members of the Company out of Erebor Towers, taking care not to jostle their wounds. His wings ached from the added weight, but it saved them time and that was something they couldn't afford to waste.

Nori was the last one down. He couldn't help a soft laugh from escaping as Bofur scooped him up bridal-style and coasted them towards the sidewalk. "My hero..."

...


	30. Origins: Oin

Origins: Oín

…

The man had a broken pelvis and a ruptured spleen, but he would live- of that Oín Farin was certain. He had a bit of a sixth sense when it came to his patients, an uncanny knack for diagnosing their injuries that he discovered soon after starting his first round of clinical. Oín always enjoyed biology and anatomy, and after his second year of college knew that he wanted to apply to medical school. The scholarship had been a dream come true, as had the early admittance to his first choice school.

Oín stepped back from his patient and pulled off the latex gloves, tossing them in a bin by the door. He was slated to graduate in the spring, just as soon as he finished his surgical rotation.

"What's your prognosis, Doctor Farin?" Asked Doctor Celeborn, looking over the patient's medical chart. He was head of surgery at the hospital and Oín's mentor, as well as his adviser.

"Shattered pelvis, burst spleen. We removed the spleen and sterilized the area. The pelvis has been set and should heal up nicely."

Doctor Celeborn nodded, obviously pleased with his star student. "Fine work, boy. You've got the lowest mortality rates I've seen in all my years of practice. I half expected this man to die, but under your ministrations he should make a full recovery."

"Thank you, sir," Oín replied with a slight flush. He knew he was good at his job, but it was different to hear the praise from someone he admired so much. Doctor Celeborn had taken Oín under his wing, made sure he got the most sought after rotations and had the best instructors. From the onset he groomed Oín to one day work at his side in the emergency surgery unit.

A loud beep sounded and Doctor Celeborn looked down at his pager with a frown. "Ten year old female. Gunshot wound to the chest. Come on, boy!"

They raced to the surgical ward and scrubbed in, pulling on sterile masks and gloves before joining the staff already at work trying to stabilize the girl. The team had already removed the bullet, but the child had lost a lot of blood and wasn't breathing.

"Doctor Farin, try to stop the bleeding. Nurse, give her 10 CCs of lidocaine, stat! Keep the ventilator going, but we need to clear out her airways!" Doctor Celeborn issued commands with a practiced ease and the staff quickly followed them to the letter.

Oín grabbed a suction hose and a roll of gauze, trying to clear enough blood away so he could see where it was all coming from. The wound was small, but deep, nicking an artery juts next tot he left ventricle of the girl's heart. He couldn't get in close enough to suture it up without first widening the incision and the child had already lost too much blood for that. Oín stared at the wound and tried to figure out what to do. He ran a finger over the bullet hole, hoping to see an angel he could work with, but instead noticed the artery was no longer gushing blood. "The bleeding has stopped!"

The beeping on the heart monitor steadied. Doctor Celeborn raised a brow in surprise. "She's stable."

The girl took deep steady breaths, her vital signs slowly returning to normal.

Doctor Celeborn frowned deeply and moved to Oín's side. "What did you do?"

"Nothing," Oín replied in confusion. "I couldn't get in to stitch up the artery, but the bleeding stopped on its own."

"Arterial tears like that don't just stop. She should be dead." He shouldered Oín out of the way and pulled back the gauze wrapping the child's chest. The wound where the bullet had entered was clean and puckered slightly, fresh pink skin stretching around the lesion. "What did you do?""

"I told you, sir. I didn't do anything! I don't understand!"

"This incision looks to be weeks old. There's new skin growing over it. But we both know this child was shot less than two hours ago." Doctor Celeborn's voice was low. "I'll ask you again. What. Did. You. Do?"

"Nothing!" Oín tugged off his gloves in confusion and threw them in the bin.

"So, that's why you've been excelling so easily. Why your patients seldom die." His eyes were hard, cold. "You have powers."

"Powers? No! I don't! I-"

"Don't lie to me anymore, boy! I've wasted enough time on you." Doctor Celeborn spun, forcing Oín towards the door. "Get out of my hospital!"

"But, sir! Please!" Oín's voice broke as he pleaded with his mentor. "I didn't do anything wrong! The girl lived!"

"We don't want your kind here! GET OUT!" The door slammed in Oín's face.

...


	31. So Long as One of Us Still Breathes

**A/N: Thank you guys SO much for the thoughtful reviews! You're all amazing! I seriously have the best reviews EVER! We're down to the final week- only three chapters left in the story! It seems fitting that the final chapter will be out on Friday, while I'm working Youmacon in Detroit. I can post the last chapter in my crazy superhero AU while at a convention where I get to fangirl over superheros with other geeks. **

**Time for Blue Team to confront Great Goblin. Wish them luck...**

...

* * *

...

The bulk of Great Goblin's warehouse was contained in the final room. Long metal catwalks stretched through the rafters three stories up, and the ground was covered in moving metal panels that shifted to reveal pits of spikes and molten liquid and other manners of dealing death.

Dwalin stared into the room with a growing sense of unease. "Why this? Why can't there be somethin' to punch?"

Thorin opened his mouth to agree with his friend, but was interrupted by Ori's quiet chuckle. "It's funny- two of the most powerful Supers there are and you're both lost the second we're faced with a challenge you can't smash your way out of."

"Datin' ya has been a challenge at times and I ain't smashed anything yet, lad," Dwalin pointed out with a smirk.

"You and Dori almost came to blows the first time we kissed."

"Oh yeah." Dwalin shrugged and rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. "So anyway, what's the plan here?"

"I believe we need to get up there." Balin pointed at a small dais suspended from the ceiling at the far end of the room. There were no walkways or ladders connected to it and whatever the platform held was hidden from view.

Thorin peered up at the dais and frowned. "Why there?"

"Because it's the only place we _can't_ get to."

"Of course." Thorin smiled slightly as he felt Bilbo's invisible hand close around his and squeeze reassuringly. "Let's get on with it then. I've always liked impossible challenges."

Starting forward slowly, they picked a careful path across the metal floor towards the only ladder up to the catwalks. As they moved the floor shifted beneath them, forcing them one way, then another, and occasionally dropping away entirely and causing them to scramble to safety. Each time they stopped moving Bilbo would place a hand on Thorin's arm as assurance that he was still with them. So close to their goal he dared not speak and risk Great Goblin discovering his existence.

They reached the ladder with no missteps or injuries. Being the lightest, Bilbo climbed up first, testing the strength of the metal rungs as he went. At the top of the ladder he stepped unseen onto the catwalk and peered around. Seeing nothing amiss, he quietly tapped the ladder- the vibrations carrying down to where Thorin rested a hand on the bottom rungs. "All right. Time to climb."

Thorin scaled the ladder two rungs at a time. When he was half way up Dwalin followed suit with Ori close behind. Three rungs from the top, Dwalin cursed as the bolts securing the ladder broke free on one side, causing them to swing wildly. Ori cried out in panic and hurried to find better footing as the ladder buckled and another bolt broke loose. Thorin braced himself against the catwalk and swing an arm down towards Dwalin, but the other man was too busy reaching for Ori. The last bolt broke free and Ori leaped free and caught hold of Dwalin's hand just as the ladder fell. Thorin grabbed hold of Dwalin and with Bilbo's unseen help, hauled them both up to the catwalk. They collapsed in a heap, with Ori clutched tightly in Dwalin's embrace.

Leaning back over the edge Thorin regarded Balin, who was standing beside the broken ladder looking worried. "Are you all right, Balin?"

"Yes. I managed to dodge the ladder and not fall into the lava pit that opened up under it."

"Do you see another way up?"

"No. I think Great Goblin meant to separate us," Balin called up. "Too bad for him I don't need a ladder." Muttering an incantation under his breath, Balin raised a hand and the tiny rocks that had been shielding him came together and melted into a single form. Balin stepped onto the flat tile of stone and gestured upwards. The rocks answered his command and carried him up to the catwalk. As Balin stepped off onto the metal grate floor, the stones broke apart and he sagged visibly.

"Balin?" Dwalin asked with a worried look as he helped his brother to his feet.

"I'll be fine. It just drains a lot of my energy to do that. Rocks aren't meant to fly."

"Good work, Balin." Thorin patted his friend on the shoulder, then turned to survey their surroundings.

The catwalks crisscrossed over the entire length of the warehouse, held in place by thin suspension cables. Some of them had guard rails, but most were completely open and only a few feet wide. Across the room, the dais they were attempting to get to could be seen. It was barely a five foot square and housed what appeared to be a large computer system. If Great Goblin sat behind the monitor, he was well hidden from their view.

"Stay together and watch your step," Thorin instructed as they started across the walkways.

"Not a hell of a lot more to do besides watch," Dwalin grumbled from the lead, before a large ax swung out of the rafters and forced him to drop flat to the floor. Two more axes joined the first and they moved back and forth like a pendulum over the path. Dwalin hissed in pain as the first ax swung back over his prone body and cut into his shoulder. As soon as the blade passed he rolled to the side, pulling himself to his feet as the deep wound healed itself.

"This makes things a bit more interesting," Ori commented as he timed the swings and darted out between the axes, making it cleanly to the other side.

Balin quickly followed his lead, as did an irritated Dwalin. Thorin dodged the first two aces with ease, but stopped at the third and glowered. Drawing back his diamond-shifted fist, he slammed it hard into the swinging ax, breaking it loose and sending it falling to the ground below. "That was incredibly satisfying."

Dwalin made a face that was almost a pout. "Wish I'd thought of that."

They continued on, skirting traps as they picked their way across the expanse of catwalks towards the dais. Suddenly, the lights flickered and dimmed and the length of walkway just behind them fell away.

"Well, well, well," a voice echoed from all around them. "You've made it further than I expected. Bravo."

The catwalk they stood on trembled and Thorin herded the others forward just before it crashed to the ground. They continued to move until they closed in on the dais and reached a dead end. The walkway behind them collapsed, leaving them standing on a ten foot run with nowhere to go.

"It's funny, I expected more distress when you were cut off from the rest of your team. They certainly panicked when I shut down their power grid. Perhaps you don't care about them as much as I'd thought." The voice emitted a dark laugh. "If that's the case it won't bother you to know that they're all dead."

Ori made a mewling cry and fell forward into Dwalin's arms. "Don't listen to him, lad. He's just sayin' that to make us lose focus."

"Am I?" A large projection screen blinked to life along the far wall of the warehouse. On it, images flashed of a fight inside Erebor Tower. A bullet speeding towards Dís' head. Bombur unmoving on the floor. Nori falling off the edge of the balcony. "You see now that I'm telling the truth. Your friends are dead, Erebor Tower is destroyed, and the Company is no more."

"The Company will continue to fight so long as one of us still breathes," Thorin ground out through his tears. "You'll pay for what you've done, Great Goblin."

The image on the screen changed to show the warehouse. Zooming in on the dais, they saw Great Goblin sitting at the computer with a smug look. "I want you to see the face of the man who is going to kill you. The face of the man who is going to kill _all_ of the Supers and make the world kneel!"

Bilbo let out a squeak and became visible. On the screen, he was pleased to note Great Goblin's look of surprise. "I know who you are! You're Barry Humphries! You work for G-Tech!"

"And you're the little burglar who stole my files. What a small world this is, to see you partnered with the ones who destroyed my dragon."

"You had access to Smaug all along. No wonder you managed to hack in an' change the code," Balin accused the man on the screen.

"They made it so easy. I didn't even need to leave a backdoor open to let my code in. They trusted me so much I simply left the package on the front porch and they all but invited me in to play." Great Goblin cackled gleefully. "No one would ever expect Barry Humphries, the mild-mannered computer geek, of being an evil genius!"

While Great Goblin was self-elaborating Thorin glared at the dais and muttered under his breath, "We have to get up there and stop him. Balin, can you manage it?"

Balin shook his head incrementally. "No, I can't even keep my shields up right now. I'm still too drained."

"What do we do?" Ori whimpered. "He'd going to kill us like he killed..." His words broke off in a strangled sob.

"Easy, lad," Dwalin murmured. "There will be time to mourn once this is over."

The walkway they stood on pitched to the left and they scrambled to stay upright. "I'm going to have fun killing you. I think I'll take my time, see how long it takes for you to break with no water or food, and no chance of rescue. Once you realize it's hopeless you'll be desperate for my mercy. I want to hear you beg, Oakenshield. I want to hear you beg for death!"

Bilbo felt a desperate prickling sensation creep along the back of the neck and turned to Thorin with determination. "Do you trust me?"

"With my life," Thorin answered without hesitation.

"Do you remember Azog in the alleyway?" Bilbo waited for the realization to dawn on Thorin's face before he continued. "If this doesn't work we might both end up dead."

"If we stay here and do nothing we'll be dead anyway." Thorin gave a sad smile. "Some second date this turned out to be."

"I've had worse," Bilbo admitted with a slight grin. "Together then?" He reached out his hand.

Thorin threaded his fingers through Bilbo's and nodded. "Together."

On the screen Great Goblin's face broke into confused rage as Thorin and Bilbo rushed to the edge of the catwalk and jumped into the open air.

A loud crack broke the silence and the air was filled with the faint spell of sulfur as Bilbo and Thorin vanished mid-air, only to reappear on the dais. Bilbo wobbled on the edge and Thorin pulled him to more solid footing.

"What?" shrieked Great Goblin, tapping wildly at his keyboard. "You can't be up here! You're supposed to die!"

The catwalk the others stood on started to tip and Bilbo moved without thought. He popped back and grabbed Balin, teleporting him safely to the dais before going back for Ori. The prickling on Bilbo's neck focused him, and when the catwalk finally gave way he dove off the dais and caught Dwalin's arm mid-air. They vanished seconds before impact and reappeared with the others on the platform.

"I do believe I'm getting the hang of this teleporting business," Bilbo commented with a tired smile. He leaned forward with his hands on his knees, breathing heavily. "It's like a panic button- usable only in moments of extreme duress."

Great Goblin dove at his keyboard one last time and hit a small button that caused a line of code to spread across the screen. "Speaking of panic buttons, that was mine. There's no way out and I've initialized the self-destruct sequence. The Company will fall today, even if I have to die to see it done!"

_Destruction imminent. T-minus 3 minutes and counting._

"Shit!" Dwalin grabbed Great Goblin by the collar and shook him. "Cancel the self-destruct! Now!"

"Or what? You'll kill me?" Great Goblin laughed. "I'll be dead in less than three minutes anyway."

Dwalin growled and brought one of his fists down hard against the side of Great Goblin's head. "About time I got to punch somethin'." He let the unconscious man slump back in the chair.

_Destruction imminent. T-minus 2 minutes and counting._

"You just knocked out the only person who could possibly stop the countdown!" Balin screamed at his brother.

"Not the only person..." Dwalin looked at Ori and worried a thumb across his knuckle-dusters. "If he's out cold he ain't feeling much of anything... If ya don't want to, I understand, lad. No one will fault ya for-"

Ori shut him up with a kiss. "Let's hope this works." Ori tore off his gloves and tossed them to the side. The runes on his hands blazed to life as he touched Great Goblin's arm, causing the unconscious man's body to tremble and buck.

_Destruction imminent. T-minus 1 minute and counting._

Pushing Great Goblin out of the way Ori bent low over the keyboard and began typing frantically. Behind him, Thorin placed an arm around Bilbo's waist and pulled him close. Dwalin met his brother's eyes and gave a nod of encouragement. No one said a word.

_Destruction imminent. T-minus 30 seconds and counting._

Ori typed faster, a thin sheen of sweat breaking out across his brow. "Come on, you malfunctioning piece of techno-rubbish! I just need to redirect the bios onto this new partition and then force a factory overwrite..."

_Destruction imminent. T-minus 20 seconds and counting._

Around them, the entire warehouse seemed to shake and stutter. Metal panels disconnected and fell from the walls and ceiling, snapping the cables holding the remaining catwalks in place and sending them crashing to the ground below.

_Destruction imminent. T-minus 15 seconds and counting._

"Bilbo? Can you teleport out of here?" Thorin asked desperately.

"No... I don't believe I could..." He rested heavily against Thorin's side. "If this is where the road ends, I'm glad to be here with you." Thorin held him closer and pressed their foreheads together in a silent prayer.

_Destruction imminent. T-minus 10 seconds and counting._

Dwalin wrapped an arm around Balin's shoulders and rested his other hand on the back of Ori's neck. "No regrets."

_Destruction imminent. T-minus 5 seconds and counting._

Ori's fingers flew over the keys.

_Destruction imminent. T-minus 4 seconds and counting._

A fresh line of code filled the prompt bar.

_Destruction imminent. T-minus 3 seconds and counting._

The corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

_Destruction imminent. T-minus 2 seconds and counting._

Ori hit the enter key.

_Destruction imminent. T-minus 1 second and counting._


	32. Origins: Dwalin

Origins: Dwalin

…

Dwalin sprawled out on the couch with his boots resting on the coffee table and his hands linked behind his head. The main room of Erebor Tower was surprisingly empty for late afternoon; he and Ori had the place to themselves. Ori sat next to him on the couch, with his knees pulled up and his stocking feet tucked under Dwalin's thigh. The only sound was Ori's silver pen scratching across the page of his sketchbook, a sound that would stop every few minutes as the boy peered over the pages to regard Dwalin, before going back to work.

"Yer makin' me nervous with the way ya keep starin' at me, lad." Dwalin leaned over to look at the drawing, but Ori shifted his grip on the sketchbook to hide if from view.

"It's not done yet! No peeking!"

"All right then." Dwalin rolled his eyes, but grinned. "It's a bit unsettlin' how quiet it is with no one else here."

"Then fill the silence." Ori stared at his sketch for a moment before looking up and grinning mischievously. "Tell me what you were like when you were younger. Back when you first got your powers."

Dwalin blinked in surprise, but acquiesced. "There ain't much to tell. I was a freshman in high school, got into fights a lot, caused some trouble. Balin worried too much, so I stopped punchin' people and started punchin' walls." He shrugged, clearly unimpressed by his own story. "One day I hit somethin' and my dusters popped. And that's all there was to it."

Ori continued to sketch, but his brows furrowed slightly. "You weren't concerned?"

"I was fifteen and angry. My father had just died, my mother left years before..."

"So, you just accepted your powers and went on with your life? It didn't bother you at all?"

"Not really. Thorin and I were already friends and he'd gotten his powers the year before. It just seemed like one more thing we'd do together."

Ori shook his head and laughed softy. He stopped drawing for long enough to glance up at Dwalin with a disbelieving smile. "You're something else, you know that?"

"Something else, eh? And what makes ya say that?" He pretended to reach for the sketchbook and laughed when Ori swatted his hand away.

"Because you... You develop powers and nothing changes, you just go right on punching walls. Most people don't take that kind of thing in stride."

"My powers made things easier for me. I stopped having to ask Balin to patch me up when I busted my knuckles on somethin'." Dwalin considered his words carefully. "I know I was lucky. I had Balin and Thorin for support, and it was easy to hide what I could do."

"I'm glad you're not angry anymore. And that you're not punching holes in the walls."

"Yer right, I'm not angry anymore. I grew out of that once we formed the Company and started tryin' to do good." He smirked. "And there are more than enough villains around, so I still get to punch things."

Ori set down his sketchpad and reached out to trace his knit-covered fingers over Dwalin's knuckles. "Does it hurt?"

Dwalin flexed his hand slightly and extended his knuckle-dusters, the smooth metal tearing back the skin, his regeneration powers mending it. "I don't really notice it anymore."

The knit of Ori's gloves caught on edge of the metal as he ran his fingers over it. "But it does hurt. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. My powers let me be part of this team and I wouldn't trade that for anything." Dwalin caught his hand up and squeezed it. "Are ya gonna let me see what ya were workin' on?"

Ori grabbed his sketchbook and offered it to Dwalin, who took it and peered curiously down at the page. The drawing showed a much younger Dwalin, fewer lines crinkling around his eyes, a close-shaved crop of dark hair on his head. The Dwalin in the drawing bore a firm set to his jaw and a deep crease between his brows, caused by the permanent glare in his steely gaze. He looked angry and hard, but underneath all that Ori had managed to capture an air of sadness.

"I, uh, started off just trying to draw you younger. But then you started talking and..." He trailed off nervously, his lower lip caught between his teeth. "I wasn't trying to be presumptuous or anything."

"Ya ain't far off, lad. Missing a few piercings here." Dwalin pointed at the left ear on the drawing. "I'll bet Balin has a few photos from back then. Maybe he'll dig them out so ya can see how close this is to the truth. Of course, then ya might decide ya like younger me better."

"I don't need to see pictures." Ori smiled and cupped Dwalin's face with one of his gloved hands. "I like this you much better."

"Oh, do ya?" Dwalin teased. "And why's that?"

"Because this you is mine."

...

* * *

...

**A/N: Stay tuned Friday for the stunning conclusion! Does Blue Team make it out alive? Will Thorin and Bilbo ever hook up? Find out in the final chapter of 'In the Company of Heroes'! Same bat time, same bat channel!**

**Also, if you're enjoying the Bofur/Nori relationship, check out the other story I posted today- 'Deuces and Kings'. It's a modern AU Nofur smut fic... if you're into that kind of thing. ;)**


	33. To the Company!

_Destruction imminent. T-minus 1 second and counting._

The countdown clock stopped at _1 second_ and Ori looked up proudly, only to find that the others had their eyes squeezed shut in anticipation of the end. He felt a small amount of Great Goblin's maliciousness swimming through his head and smirked as he whispered, "Boom."

Everyone jumped and Bilbo let out a small squeak of terror before opening his eyes and glaring at Ori. "I don't think that was necessary."

Ori shrugged and tugged his gloves back on. "Great Goblin was feeling spiteful and cocky, but I'd rather embrace the cockiness right now than admit how scared I was."

Dwalin's arms closed around the boy and he placed a soft kiss to Ori's forehead. "Ya did great, lad. Ya saved us."

"I stopped the self-destruct." He deflated and leaned heavily against Dwalin as the reality of the situation came back to him. "We still lost. I mean, who cares if we defeated Great Goblin... Everyone else is still dead..."

"We don't know that for sure, there could still be survivors." Dwalin regarded the boy worriedly. "How is your head? Do ya have much of an emotional hangover from that bastard?"

"I just need to sit quietly for a moment," Ori whispered, staring down at his gloves. "I need him out of my head so we can get out of here and find what's left of the others..."

Blue Team stood huddled together on the dais, where they were stuck until Bilbo or Balin recovered enough to get them down. The adrenalin from the fight began to leave their systems and the possibility that their friends and family were dead began to sink in. A sharp noise distracted them from their morbid thoughts.

"What was that?" Bilbo asked, tilting his head to listen better.

The noise sounded again- metallic and creaking.

"I have no idea," Balin admitted. "An' I'm not too keen on any more surprises."

The third time they heard it, the noise was louder and splintering, like metal being forced to give way.

"Hello?" a familiar voice called into the destroyed warehouse. "Blue Team? Can you hear me?"

"Dís!" Thorin shouted, his whole face lightening at the sound of his sister's voice. "We're up here!"

Blue Team scrambled to peer off the edge of the dais, searching through the wreckage for the source of the voice. Bilbo caught sight of her first, grabbing Thorin's arm and pointing to where Dís was scrambling through a large Bombur-shaped hole smashed in the far wall.

"We're up here!" Thorin yelled again, waving his arms frantically to draw attention to their location.

Dís looked up and raised a hand in acknowledgment. "Is everyone all right?"

"Yes! We're fine. We thought you were dead! Are the others..."

"Beaten to hell, but still kicking," Nori shouted, limping out of the darkness. "It'd take a lot more than an army to stop the Company."

"Nori!" Ori shrieked, leaning far enough over the edge that Dwalin had to catch the back of his hoodie to keep him from toppling over. "You're alive!"

"Can't be rid of me that easily, little brother." Nori replied while the other members of the Company began filtering in behind him.

"The reunions can wait until ya get us down from here," Dwalin rumbled.

Bofur pushed his way to the front of the group and stretched his wings. "I'm on it." Pushing off the ground he pumped his wings to gain altitude and made his way upwards until his feet touched down on the edge of the dais. "Who's first?"

Thorin gestured to the unconscious man in the desk chair. "Take him down first and have someone bind his hands so he can't escape if he wakes up."

"With has hard as Dwalin punched him, I doubt he'll be waking any time soon," Balin said with a slight chuckle. "Especially not after Ori got a hold of him."

"Is that... Is that Great Goblin?" Bofur asked in amazement. At Thorin's nod he took a step closer and prodded the man with his finger. "Not exactly what I thought a criminal mastermind would look like."

"Just get him down so that ya can come back for us. I really ain't that comfortable being so far off the ground," Dwalin grumbled. Ori patted his arm and gave him a sympathetic smile.

Bofur wrinkled his nose at the prone figure, but grabbed Great Goblin up by the back of his jacket and stepped off the edge of the dais, gliding smoothing towards the ground. He deposited the man at Dís' feet, relayed Thorin's orders, then took to the air again. It wasn't long before Blue Team was on the ground and reunited with the rest of the Company. Thorin pulled his nephews into a rough hug, not bothering to hide the tears that ran down his face. Ori tackled his brothers the moment his feet touched down and wouldn't stop fussing over their injuries. Everyone shared tired smiles over the fact that they were alive and Great Goblin was captured.

They had won.

…

Erebor Tower was a wreck and it took the Company the better part of a week to make the main room livable again. The elevator and most of the furniture was broken beyond the chance of repair and had to be replaced, as did the large window that had been shattered during the fight. The computer wall had survived with minimum damage and once Dís got the power grid back online it was back to fully operational in a matter of hours. Sometime during the repairs Gandalf disappeared. His help had been invaluable, but he was not one of the Company and no one was particularly sad to see him go. The physical damage to the building was costly, but even worse was the emotional toll. Someone had managed to attack them in their home- the one place they truly felt safe.

"I'm going to rework the entire security system," Dís said, frowning at the computer screen for a moment before adding another line of code. "Just because Great Goblin is in jail doesn't mean we won't encounter someone like him again. I want to take what we learned and up our protection."

Bifur swiveled in his chair and patted her arm with an agreeable nod. He made a few small gestures with his hands, broken bits of made-up sign language that most of the team had come to more-or-less understand.

"The security upgrade will help, but you're right... We're always strongest when we're together." She smiled softly and turned her own chair to face Bifur. "The Company will always win in the end, because we're the good guys. I have to believe that good will always triumph."

He reached out and brushed a loose strand of dark hair from her face, his eyes crinkling in a smile.

Dís nuzzled against Bifur's hand briefly before pulling back and blushing. "And after we get the new security measures in place, it's back to work on some sort of gadget to help you control your power again. While I was digging around in Great Goblin's computers I had this brainstorm about switching out the power coupling on a modified amperage modulator that just might do the trick..."

…

"Hey, Fee?" Kíli leaned back on the couch and rested his boots on the new coffee table.

"What is it?" Fíli pried his eyes open from where he had been dozing beside his brother.

"Have you noticed that mom and Bifur have been spending a lot of time together?" The younger boy chewed at his lower lip and frowned.

"So? They're friends. No one understands half of what mom says once she goes into techie mode and none of us really understand Bifur at all. I guess they sort of have that in common."

"Yeah, but are you sure they're just friends? I mean, she's _blushing_ over there!"

Fíli opened his eyes in earnest and squinted across the room to where Dís and Bifur sat at the computers. "Kili?" He sat straight up in his seat, all thoughts of sleep gone.

"Right?!" Kíli slunk lower and thumped his forehead against his brother's arm. "She's flirting, Fee. With _Bifur_!"

"Why would you show me that? Why couldn't you have kept that observation to yourself? Gah!"

"Because... Because I can't un-see it! I mean, it's mom. And Bifur. And they're..." Kíli paled as he trailed off, his dark eyes growing wide. "Do you think they're... ya know..."

"Oh my god, Kíli! No!" Fíli pushed his brother away with a horrified look. "Mom and Bifur don't... they don't do _that_."

"How do you know?" The younger boy asked desperately.

"Because they can't. Because... I don't know. It's mom and... Because, no!"

Both boys collapsed back onto the couch looking traumatized. Across the room, Dís' laughter only caused them more distress and Fíli buried in face under a pillow and moaned. Kíli muttered something about needing to bleach his brain, before curling himself into fetal position and covering his ears. They were so busy with their agony that neither brother noticed the wink that passed between Dís and Bifur at their expense.

…

"Gimli!" Loni called out happily as she and Gloín entered the White Council's base to pick up their son.

The boy in question was in his early teens and had his father's red curls hidden beneath a checkered newsboy cap. He flushed slightly at Loni's exuberance and shot her an mortified look. "Hey, mom."

"Oh, we've missed you!" Loni raced forward to crowd her son with kisses, but Gloín caught her under one of his arms.

"Don't embarrass the boy." He grinned over at Gimli. "I hope you behaved yourself?"

Gimli rolled his eyes. "It was good. Legolas as a great sound system, we listened to _tons_ of fab indie bands!"

"Which bands?" Gloín politely asked Legolas. The other boy wore his blond hair long and straight, and had a pair of black-rimmed glasses perched on his nose.

Before Legolas could answer, Gimli cut in, "You wouldn't have heard of them, dad. They're all underground stuff, nothing mainstream." The boys shared a knowing smirk.

"Well, you'll have to tell us about them later!" Loni said cheerfully. "Legolas, dear, you'll have to come over soon for dinner. I'm sure Gimli would enjoy seeing you again."

"I'd love to, ma'am," Legolas replied with a nod.

"And please thank you father for us," Gloín said after a moments hesitation. "It was good of him to let Gimli stay with you."

"Yes, sir. I'll tell him." Legolas turned to Gimli and the two boys shared a one-armed hug. "See ya later, man."

"Yeah, see ya." Gimli gave his friend an vague salute.

Once outside, Loni threw an arm around her son. "It'll be so good to have you home! We've missed you!"

"Maybe next time you go saving the world I'll come with you." Gimli looked down to hide his growing smile.

"Why would you come with..." Gloín trailed off, his eyes widening. "Did you develop a power?!"

Gimli shrugged and walked a bit faster, leaving his parents standing on the sidewalk with gobsmacked looks on their faces.

…

Nori leaned against the rail of the balcony and looked up at the night sky. Even with the city glowing beneath them, the stars still shown bright enough to pepper the darkness with tiny pinholes of light. The moon was barely a sliver, but it cast enough of a glow to illuminate the stiff upper feathers of Bofur's wings. It was a beautiful sight and one that caused Nori to speak without thinking. "You look like an angel."

Bofur's head snapped up and he peered over at Nori with suspicion. After a moment it dawned on him that it was an honest compliment and he gave the thief an incandescent smile in return. "An' here I was thinking I'd be the sappy one in this relationship."

"I'm full of surprises, birdbrain," Nori replied with a shrug, his usual sly smile fitting back into place.

"So am I." Bofur stepped forward, catching Nori's face in his hand, and dragging him in for a deep kiss. He wrapped his arms tightly around Nori's waist and broke the kiss. "I want t' show yeh something. You'd best hold on tight."

Nori didn't have time to question before Bofur stretched his wings out and gave a cheeky grin. Tightening his grip on the other man's shoulders, Nori hung on for dear life as Bofur's wings caught an updraft and they were airborne. The city grew smaller as they climbed upwards into the sky, through thin patches of clouds. Around them stars twinkled like diamonds in the darkness. Bofur arched his wings, dropping a bit lower in the air, and Nori clung to him tighter. With a grin, Bofur pulled his wings back tightly and dove in earnest, spiraling them down through the night sky before drawing his wings out to take them upwards again. He smirked at Nori's wide-eyed expression and leveled out their altitude with an easy glide.

"So, how's this for a first date?" Bofur's lilting voice was teasing, but his eyes showed the barest hint of concern.

"A date, huh?" Nori cocked a brow and grinned. "Well, I've never been so thoroughly swept off my feet."

"Good. I wouldn't do this for just anyone, yeh know," Bofur said quietly. They stopped moving upwards and stayed suspended in place by the soft flapping of his wings. Far below the world continued on, but up in the starlight it felt like nothing existed but them.

"And what exactly are you doing?" Nori asked, his voice barely more than a breath.

"I'm giving yeh the sky, thief." Their lips crushed together- searching, needing. Nori wrapped his legs around Bofur's hips, shifting their bodies closer together and dragging a low moan from the other man. Bofur's wings held them steady as they fell back towards earth, lost in the darkness and each other.

…

Balin sat at the table with Oín and Dori, mugs of steaming chamomile tea placed on the scarred tabletop in front of them. The other members of the Company were spread out around the room, chatting and relaxing and enjoying the momentary peace. "We did it. We really did it." He shook his head, looking more than a little disbelieving at his own words.

"That we did," Oín agreed. "Of all the foes we're fought over the years, I think this was the worst."

"That's because our hand has never been forced like that before. They came into our house an' attacked us in the one place we felt safe." Dori drummed his fingers against the tabletop as he looked around the newly renovated room.

Balin nodded and followed his friend's eyes to where the younger members of the Company were sprawled out on the couches, involved in a game of cards. "Not to mention the fact that we were forced to rely on the two untrained members of our team."

"I never wanted Ori to have to use his powers. When we first discovered them, Nori and I swore we'd do everything we could to keep them a secret. We just wanted Ori to lead a normal, happy life."

Oín smiled kindly. "I wouldn't say it's a normal life, but from the looks of things your youngest brother is quite happy."

"I think he is. Though if he never has to use his powers again I'll be much happier myself," Dori admitted with a slight smile. "He did well though. And so did our burglar."

"They both did admirably," Oín agreed. "It seems Bilbo has cemented his place as a member of the Company."

Balin laughed at that, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "I believe he'll be more than a member of the team if he an' Thorin can manage to stop dancing around each other."

The three friends shared a good laugh at their leader's expense. They were smart enough to know that there would always be another fight on the horizon, so they enjoyed the moments of peace and happiness whenever they could. Eventually the laughter died away and they fell into a thoughtful silence. Dori watched his brothers across the room, while Balin's eyes turned heavy and far away.

"They're going to be all right, you know." Oín's voice was soft, pitched in such a way that no one else in the room would hear it. "The world is a lot more prepared for Supers than it was when we were young."

Dori pulled his eyes away from his brothers and sighed. "I know that. And they've all but grown up in the Company. They've got an amazing support system here..."

"But that doesn't mean you'll worry any less," Balin supplied. "Because we've seen how difficult the world can be when you're different. We know what it can cost."

"So, what do we do?" Dori asked. "We keep fighting the good fight, but how do we make sure the younger generation is prepared for all of this?"

"We teach them. We tell them our stories and we help them learn from our mistakes. We make sure they have every bit of knowledge and training we can offer them." Oín ran a finger along a large crack on the surface of the tabletop. "And we hope the world continues to evolve until they're accepted without condition."

Balin toyed with his empty mug and nodded. "An' in the meantime we pray."

…

Dwalin gave the the bookcase one final shove before it shifted into place against the wall. It was the third bookcase he'd moved in the last hour and his shoulders were aching with the effort. The addition of the bookshelves and a small roll-top desk made his moderately sized room feel small, but when Ori carried a box of books in and smiled at him, Dwalin found he didn't rightly care. It seemed a little silly to compress all their belongings into one room, when Ori's old room was right down the hall, but something about seeing their lives meshed together made Dwalin feel warm inside. He was sure Thorin would tease him over the ridiculous smile that seemed to be permanently etched out his face, but fortunately his friend wore a similar look himself. They would still be busy with patrols and keeping the city safe, but life was good.

"What are you thinking about?" Ori asked as Dwalin stood near the bookshelves, obviously lost in thought. "You're a million miles away."

"No I'm not. I'm right here." He smiled and walked to Ori's side, scooping the boy up and depositing him on the bed. "I was just thinkin' about ya. About us."

"About us?" Ori flushed slightly as he pulled Dwalin down with him, the bigger man's body pressing his own into the mattress. "And what exactly were you thinking about us?"

Dwalin kissed him, long and slow, before answering. "I was thinkin' that ya make me happy."

"I should hope so! After all, we just moved in together..." He slid a gloved hand up the back of Dwalin's shirt, enjoying the way the other man quivered at the feel of the knit against his skin. "No more sneaking off when no one is looking, or dealing with those knowing smirks. Not now that we've gone and made it all official that we're together for the long haul."

Dwalin murmured his agreement in between kisses to the soft skin of Ori's neck. "This is our bed... Our life..."

"You big sap!" Ori teased, only to be silenced as Dwalin nipped at the shell of his ear.

"So, I was thinkin'," Dwalin began, his voice low and rumbling. "I was thinkin' that we should make good use of _our_ bed."

Ori arched his hips against Dwalin's and let out a quiet moan. "I like the way you think."

...

Bombur smoothed his hair and looked at his reflection in the mirror with a smug grin. It was shaping up to be a good night.

The entire Company lived through the battle with Smaug and the ensuing fight with Great Goblin and his minions. They came out victorious, which was the way things were supposed to be. The heroes win, the villains loose. And now that things were back to normal, life could go on. For Bombur, life meant a date with the brunette he met online through #Team Bombur. It was difficult to meet people when you could get called away at any moment to fight. The others might joke about the fan club and the constant dates, but Bombur considered it a blessing. He'd never had problems with people accepting him and his powers the way some of the others had.

But things were looking up now. Bofur _finally_ managed to start things up with Nori, and Bifur had developed a close friendship with Dís. His family was happy and that made Bombur happy.

Of course, having a pretty brunette waiting for him at the bar down the street wasn't half bad either. Yes, it was definitely shaping up to be a good night.

…

"So, I thought we'd have another go at an actual date," Thorin said, coming up beside Bilbo and placing a hand on his lower back. "If you'd like to, that is."

Bilbo smiled up at him and leaned back into the touch. "You mean dinner and dessert? The whole nine yards?"

"Anything you want."

"With no emergency calls or villain interruptions?" He smirked.

"I can't promise that. We're Supers. Our lives are never completely our own." Thorin frowned. "I understand if that's more than you want to deal with."

"Well, I can't say it's ideal," Bilbo agreed softly. "But it's the life we've chosen, so we might as well make the best of it. Like you said- we're Supers."

Thorin's face broke into a genuine smile. "You're staying with us then? You're staying... with me?"

"I can't imagine trying to go back to my old life. Not after so much has changed. I do believe my place is with the Company... with you."

Bilbo turned and gazed up into Thorin's eyes, taking the look of heady affection that could someday blossom into actual love. But behind that look there was something darker and hungry and more intense, a look that Bilbo knew was mirrored in his own eyes. "The last time we went out to dinner, the night was supposed to continue on until breakfast..."

"It was," Thorin agreed in a rough whisper.

"Perhaps we should pick up where we left off then. Just in case The Gollum decides to put another warhead in the water supply or Balrog comes back from the dead to take over city hall or something..."

"That, my dear Bilbo, is the best idea I've ever heard."

They retreated to Thorin's bedroom, ignoring the catcalls from the rest of the Company. In the darkness of the room Bilbo took the initiative, ridding them both of their clothes before pushing Thorin back on the mattress and moving over him. Their kisses were biting and insistent, hands mapping over each others bodies and scrambling for purchase against sweat slick skin. They drew out their pleasure long into the night, until the only words they could remember were the others name cried out into the silence.

...

Morning came and found the Company piled around the table for breakfast. Three different brands of cereal in half-empty boxes were poured into bowels with fresh berries and milk. Platters piled high with steaming bacon and sausage were passed around and quickly devoured along with mountains of pancakes and toast. That morning's edition of The Daily Portents lay on the table, acting as a potholder for the hot coffee pot. Beneath the dark rings of coffee stains, the headline read _Great Goblin Behind Destruction of S.M.A.U.G.. Supers in the Clear._ Spirits were high and the conversation drifted between early morning grumblings and playful banter. Thorin and Bilbo were the last to the table, and met with hoots and hollers and knowing smirks.

"Looks like someone had a good night," Bofur teased with a waggle of his brows.

Thorin managed a good-natured growl. "I doubt you're one to talk. I'm sure you and Nori were up to no good last night."

"I'm not the one coming t' breakfast with love bites on my neck." He smirked. "It appears our little burglar is a wildcat in the sack!"

"Enough!" Thorin stopped the conversation before Bilbo's blush could grow any deeper red. "We're not here to talk about love lives, we're here to have breakfast. But since we're all gathered in one place, there is something I've want to say..."

"Speech! Speech!" Kíli crowed and Fíli joined his brother with the chant.

"I'm not one for speeches," Thorin interrupted, regarding his nephews with a halfhearted glare. "But perhaps you'll settle for a toast instead?"

They raised glasses of orange juice and steaming mugs of coffee and tea. Thorin stood looking around the table each, each and every face looking back at him. Fíli and Kíli nudged each other playfully, only to be silenced by a sharp glare from Dís. Beside her, Bifur made a few rough signs at Bofur, who unthreaded his fingers from Nori's to reply in turn. Bombur stole a sausage from his brother's plate and made a hushing motion at Oín when he looked ready to comment. At the other end of the table Gloín leaned over to steal a kiss from Loni, which elicited an eye roll from Dori who was watching them over the brim of his teacup. Brushing a stray crumb off his sketchbook Ori smiled up at Dwalin as Balin leaned forward, curious to see what Thorin had to say.

"We've walked through dragon fire and come out on the other side stronger, because we know what it feels like to be burned and to survive it." Thorin smiled warmly and raised his own coffee cup in one hand, the other curling around Bilbo's waist. "To loyalty, honor, and willing hearts. To those we've lost and those we've gained. To food and cheer and song. To family, whether by choice or by blood. To the Company."

The replying cheer was resounding, filled with love, camaraderie, and hope for the future. "To the Company!"

...

* * *

...

**A/N: And we've come to the end of our adventure. The good guys win, the city is safe, and all is well in the world. Thank you guys so so SO much for all your comments and critiques along the way. I've said it before, but I really do have the best readers in the whole world! I wouldn't be half as motivated to create these stories if it weren't for the amazing people who enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy writing them. I don't know what story I'll write next, but I hope to see you all there! Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart!**


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